The Way Home
by montez
Summary: With two lives in the balance, will one be able to lead the other home? Ridley's Brotherhood making a showing.
1. Chapter 1

The Way Home  
Chapter 1  
By: Montez

Disclaimer: Winchester's are Kirpke's. The Brotherhood is Ridley's. It's like a library, we can check them out for a while, but eventually we have to return them.

_A/N: A segment of Williamson Scott's story 'Stranded' is mention in this chapter. For those who don't know Stranded is an excellent story that covers Caleb Reaves background and how he came to the attention of the Brotherhood, well worth the read!_

The stomach dropping feeling of the ground giving out for under you was all he had time to grasp as his body hit the unforgiving ground and started it's downward tumble. His mind only had time to process the first rock he hit, stealing the breath from his lungs along with any fight he may have put up as he tumbled helplessly down the thirty foot embankment. He didn't feel his body come to a stop, he didn't feel the broken arm or the dislocated shoulder, nor the broken ribs that were threatening to punch a whole in his lung. He didn't feel the blood that slide down the side of his head, staining the decaying leaves beneath him. He didn't feel the cold that had started to seep into his body as the late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the trees. He wouldn't be missed for at least six hours, that's when he had promised to call Bobby with an update on his search of the wooded area about ten miles from Singer's Salvage. But between the soon to be freezing temperatures, his injures and the illness he had been ignoring, John Winchester could very well be dead within those six hours.

Driving the back roads that led to Pastor Jim Murphy's farm in New Haven, Kentucky were a big change from maneuvering the city traffic in New York. Here on the quiet stretch of blacktop you would be lucky to see a car every thirty minutes. Having lived in major cities nearly his whole life; first New Orleans with his grandmother, then New York with Bird, his grandmothers friend who took him in after the older woman's death, then finally with Mac, who saved not only his life, but possibly his soul as well. Caleb knew the hassle a drive through the city could be. That's why he didn't mind the drive from New York to Kentucky, he could travel as many back roads as he wanted and they all led him to the same place, home.

The first time he had come to Jim's farm was when he was twelve and had just been taken in my one Dr. Mackland Ames. The Doctor, along with Jim Murphy had rescued him from a Psychiatric Hospital he had been sent to after a terror induced attempt to take his own life in front of a police station full of cops, his social worker and a family court judge. Neither the scared boy, nor those inside the precinct fully understood exactly what Caleb was, a very powerful psychic who was prone to death visions, the last of which had allowed the child to see the murder-suicide of his new foster parents of only two days. In his blind panic he thought he had caused the death of the couple who died exactly like his parents only six years before. Caleb had been able to get a gun away from an officer, then proceeded to put the barrel to his head. Only the quick movement of his case worker saved Caleb's life, setting in motion the judge's actions that brought him to the attention of Mac.

Saving him from the Knight of the Brotherhood, Daniel Elkins, who believe the boy to be possessed and nearly killed him during an attempted exorcism, Mac sought and was rewarded temporary custody of the pre-teen and within months formally adopted Caleb. The first visit to Jim's farm had been like torture to youth, he felt he had nothing to do, it was a small town, the Pastor owned an ancient looking television, but had no cable and only allowed it on about an hour a day, just to catch the news. The rest of the time was spent working the small farm or the Pastor would spend hours hold up in his study preparing his sermon for the following Sunday. Not something Caleb found interesting to say the least, the boy would spend his time sulking in or around the barn, usually with his sketch pad and walkman blaring in his ears.

All that changed shortly after he turned thirteen, the teen was at the farm on the day a big, black monster of a car came rumbling down the gravel driveway. Caleb had heard Mac and Jim talking of a new hunter that had turned up, the man had called on Missouri Mosley for help after his wife's death in an unnatural fire, she then put the younger man in contact with Jim. The teenager had heard the concern in the older men's voices when they talked that the newcomer had two young children with him, a baby not even a year old and a virtually catatonic five-year old who hadn't spoken since the night of his mother's death.

Caleb watched from his place near the barn as the Chevy Impala came to a stop near the farm house, Jim and Mac descending the stairs to great the man, a John Winchester, if the teen remembered correctly. He watched his father and the Pastor exchange hand shakes with the man, who then turned to retrieve a screaming baby from the vehicle. But it was the other child the quietly climbed from the back of the car that drew Caleb's attention. The fear, pain and sorrow he immediately felt from the child was like nothing he had ever experienced from another person before, it reminded him so much of himself right after his parents had died.

Mac had been working with Caleb who soon figured out that beside the death visions, the teen could also easily pick-up on other's emotion, as well as, with a little effort, read other's thoughts. Though he was still working on the finer technique of the later, Mac and Jim both describing his ability as like being hit in the head with a sledgehammer. However, something about this boy seemed to hone in his abilities as the small child turned and look in the direction of the barn, locking eyes with the teen. In that instant Caleb felt his breath hitch as the child's thoughts flooded his mind. They were of an unnatural fear of losing his father and brother, the terror of being brought to a new place, being around people he didn't know, and an overwhelming need to protect his baby brother. In that moment Caleb felt a connection with the small, quiet child and going against every teenage instinct to not care, he was drawn to the child. He soon became the only person the quiet boy would verbally talk to, it taking several more months before the child spoke to any of the adults that were a part of his life.

Driving along, the ten year old memory playing in his mind, the young psychic felt the overwhelming need to get to Jim's that much sooner. The twenty-two year old and his fifteen year old best friend had hit a rough patch lately. It had been a few months since they had seen one another; the last time was actually at Caleb's graduation from Auburn. Since learning about the Brotherhood, Caleb had wanted to be a hunter, he wanted to be like John, whose whole life was immersed in the hunt, but Mac had insisted that he pursue a life in the 'real' world too. After all Mac and Jim were examples you could do both, Mac was a Neurosurgeon and of course Jim was the Pastor of a small church in New Haven.

During Caleb's time at Auburn he would hunt over breaks and focus on his studies while at school, his major was Architecture. Dean had been worried from the time his best friend left for school, he thought he was losing another person he cared about, it took several talks by Caleb to explain to the kid that he was still only a phone call away and would be there if Dean ever needed him. However, with his graduation, Caleb had started to put into motion a dream he'd had since starting college, it was the dream of owning his own Architectural firm. It wasn't a dream Caleb had discussed with anyone, not even his father. It was something Caleb wanted to do on his own, only telling other's when the venture was up and running. The business end of everything had been started a few months before he graduated and since graduation Caleb had been meeting with lawyers, backers and potential clients, the end result being that Tri-Corp, finally, had its first solid project lined up. That was the reason he was on his way to Jim's, he was meeting his father there, as well as, Dean and Sammy. John was due to show up in a few days, after he looked into a possible hunt in South Dakota, where Bobby lived. He was planning on telling his family about his business and hopefully smooth over any ruffled feathers with Dean.

He had just passed the sign welcoming him to New Haven, he was only a few miles from Jim's, it was mid-afternoon and as usual there weren't very many cars on the road. He allowed his mind to drift to how he would tell his family about his new business, his Jeep almost able to drive itself as his tires ate up the familiar road. But then pain shot through his head, stole his breath, darkening his vision as the tree-lined road faded in front of him. His visions usually had precursors, tell-tell signs that it was coming, but this one hit with no warning, no building pressure, no time to pull his vehicle over as his consciousness faded, the vision consuming him.

_Caleb could see John slamming the trunk of the Impala, a small duffle hanging from his shoulder. He watched as his mentor check his weapon and returned it to the small of his back, then the older man headed off into the woods. The psychic didn't know what John was looking for, or why he was on a hunt alone, that was John Winchester Rule Number One: __**Never Hunt Alone**__. He could feel John's alertness, but also the man's exhaustion, his friend was tired, unusually so, but in true Winchester fashion the man trekked on, his steady pace pushing him further into the woods. A coughing spell stopped the older man as Caleb watched John place his hands on his knees, it taking a minute to regain his breath. Caleb could feel his own fear increasing as John shook his head slightly and continued on, as if nothing was wrong. Bare trees were all around, the ground covered with fallen leaves, the late October air cooling quickly as the afternoon sun started to cast long shadows through the forest. The Psychic couldn't tell if it was the dampened, leaf-covered ground, or John's distraction by another round of coughing, but Caleb felt the moment his mentor took a misstep, then could only watch as the older man slipped and tumbled, helplessly down the embankment. Caleb felt his breath catch as he watched John's battered body come to a stop, blood trailing down the unconscious man's head, he felt his mouth open, the echo of his own voice yelling, "JOHN!"_

A/N: Yeah, I know, I just finished Vision and here I'm throwing Caleb into another vision. It's just a fun way to totally mess with the boy. But I'm hoping as this story progress's the little twist I'm hoping that will work makes it a good enough story. Wish me luck!-Montez


	2. Chapter 2

The Way Home  
Chapter 2  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

"JOHN! Augh…" Caleb's shout turned to a pained groan as awareness slowly returned to him, his body felt heavy and breathing hurt. Slowly lifting one of his hands toward his face, Caleb attempted to blink is eyes open, quickly closing them again as the fading light shot another pain through his pounding skull. Once his fingers came into contact with his forehead he felt a warm, wet stickiness that his sense of smell soon told him was blood. "Shit…" He again mumbled, attempting to open his eyes a second time. This time he was able to keep them open, focusing on the busted windshield in front of him. Slowly raising his head he saw why his window was busted, a couple of good size trees took the liberty of stopping his runaway Jeep once the vision hit, rendering him completely useless to control the vehicle.

Leaning his head back some, Caleb tried to take a deep-breath only to be stopped by a pain in his left side. "Damn cracked ribs", he mumbled as he looked down at himself, lifting each arm to make sure they still worked. "Okay man, think…" This time he took a slower breath, the pain not as bad, but still there. In that moment the clarity of his vision came back, "God, Johnny…" shifting Caleb reached for the handle of the driver's door, leaning his aching body into it; he was finally able to open it. Though his heart was yelling at him to hurry up and get out of the wrecked vehicle, his brain shouted just as loud to go slow and make sure his legs were still working. Gently moving one of his legs, then the other Caleb used the door and side of the Jeep to slowly stand, dizziness caused him to shut his eye's, swallowing hard to keep what he had eaten that morning down.

Realizing he could stand he took a tentative step, still using the vehicle for support. Finally making it to the back of his Jeep he noticed he was about twenty-yards off the road. Again the pain, not only from his own injuries, but from the helpless feeling of watching John's body tumble down the embankment coming to rest, deathly still, at its base, flared through his body. As that imagine took up residence in his mind a sudden rush of adrenaline surged through his veins, an overwhelming need to get to Jim's dulling his own pains from his accident and weakness the vision brought. Letting go of the Jeep Caleb stumbled toward the road, somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he was only about two miles from Jim's, a distance that on a normal day wouldn't take anytime to cover, not with John as his drill sergeant, but today he knew he would have to push himself through the pain and weakness in order to save the older man.

oxoxoxoxoxo

Awareness returned slowly, followed quickly by a coughing fit that shot pain through his chest when he tried to curl in on himself, as the spell passed John could feel the hitch in his chest. Slowly opening his eye's he found himself laying on his left side, a rock sticking out of the ground just inches from his face. Reaching his hand up he touched his forehead, where the pain in his head seemed to be centering, wincing as his fingers came in contact with the sticky, wetness. John tried to remember what had happened; only the memory of that first misstep came to him, then nothing. Laying there a moment, the older man tried to take inventory of his injuries; the pain in his chest wasn't just from the cold trying to take root, but from a couple of busted ribs, with the way his head was pounding he knew there was definitely a concussion.

Slowly the Knight brought his right arm around, grateful to still have the use of it, and placed his hand on the ground, attempting to push himself up. Another problem arose when he tried to extend his left arm to take some of his weight, it crumpled under him as he screamed out in pain, his shoulder again making contact with the ground, "Damnit!" he yelled, his busted arm and shoulder shooting pain through the core of his body, his vision wavering as the pain took all awareness, though he tried to fight it, the darkness overtook him again.

oxoxoxoxoxo

It felt like he had been walking for hours, the sun was slowly setting, the chill of the coming October night biting through his jacket, but he continued on. The image of John lying motionless was still burned into Caleb's mind, pushing him forward. Rounding a small curve in the road the familiar looking mailbox came into view, the name MURPHY fading on the side. Seeing his destination in sight shot another burst of energy through the young man that he didn't know he had. "Just a little further, Johnny, we'll get ya." Caleb mumbled as he finally stumbled onto the gravel drive, dropping to one knee when his strength began to give out. "Come on man, get your sorry ass up and get John some help." The injured man berated himself, again the thought of his mentor fueling the last reserves of energy, pushing himself up he continued his unsteady movement forward, the lights of the house finally coming into view.

oxoxoxoxoxo

It was the sound of Scout barking that drew Dean's attention, he had been by the pond for hours, it was the only place he could find peace. It seemed like he had been mad at the world for the last few weeks, first he hadn't been able to see Caleb since June. Between moving from hunt to hunt and his best friend graduating college and doing God know what since, he had only been able to talk to the older man a couple times, both times short conversations once the twenty-two year old knew Dean was okay. Then Sammy had started his whole teenage angst two years too early, the kid's mood swings rivaled their fathers as the two had started to argue about everything. Then speaking of Dad, John had ditched them at Jim's on his way to Bobby's, sighting that he didn't even know if it was a real hunt or just some kids starting stories, so there was no sense in dragging the boys when they were gonna be back at Jim's in a few days anyway. However, Dean had picked up on the fact John needed some time away from Sammy before he pummeled the kid, which meant Dean had to sit out the hunt to keep an eye on his kid brother.

Sam had been exceptionally whinny throughout the day, complaining about nearly everything, so Dean had left his brother complaining in Jim's library, Jim and Mac had been in the Hunter's Tomb doing research, so the fifteen year old had taken it upon himself to sneak out to the pond. Jim had just been on the back porch yelling to tell Dean dinner would be ready soon. As the young man stood, starting toward the house in the fading light, it was then Scout started her incessant barking. Nearing the porch Dean looked down the driveway, in the shadowed light he thought he saw movement, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. He knew Jim's place was protected from anything supernatural, but that didn't rule out all the dangers that could come for the Guardian.

Dean again saw movement, not normally worried if he could handle a threat the young boy didn't want to take any chances, especially since he wasn't armed. He stepped closer to the door, "Jim, could you come here a second?"

Keeping his attention on the driveway, Dean heard the screen door open and close behind him. "What it is my boy?" Jim noticed that the teenager wasn't looked at him, but seemed to be watching something further down his drive. "Dean?"

"There…" Dean pointed toward the shadowed darkness, "Did you see it? Something or someone's coming this way down the drive." Jim noticed the boy step closer to the wood pile, grabbing the ax from its spot next to the stump.

Jim looked closer in the direction the boy had pointed, finally seeing movement. Quickly Jim opened the back door, grabbing the rifle that normally sat just inside the door. Mac caught Jim retrieving the weapon as he entered the kitchen, Sammy close behind, "Jim?" The Doctor put his hand out to stop Sammy's forward movement.

Glancing quickly to the Scholar, Jim spoke before he let the door close, "Keep Sammy inside." Jim didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't going to risk both boys.

"Mac, what's going on?" Sammy whispered, years of being around hunters had taught him to keep his voice low when an unknown threat could be present.

"I don't know Sammy, but be ready to move." Mac stepped closer to the door, stopping next to the deep-freeze, grabbing the shotgun that was kept between it and the wall.

Outside, Dean was moving closer to the dark shape as it continued to stumble forward, "Dean, slow down." Jim whispered loudly as the teen continued to move closer, the Pastor several yards behind him.

Dean stopped as the shadow cleared the tree line, its features still shrouded in the waning light, but it was the instant recognition when the person's face finally lifted and looked toward the house that had Dean dropping the ax, taking off in a dead run, "CALEB!"


	3. Chapter 3

The Way Home  
Chapter 3  
By: Montez  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

God he didn't remember Jim's driveway being this damned long, but he wasn't usually stumbling down it with unknown injuries from a car wreck and the aftereffects of a vision on top of it. Caleb heard one of Jim's dogs barking, normally he could tell by the bark which one it was, but at this point his exhausted body and mind were only focusing on getting to the house. He could have swore he head the screen door open and close, but his focus was on the gravel under his feet, with each step it seemed the tiny rocks were trying their best to throw him off balance.

Only faintly noticing that he had cleared the shadows of the trees, with twilight settling over the farm, he made the tremendous effort to lift his head, looking up toward the farmhouse, toward home. Caleb could just barely make out two figures between him and the structure, but was unable to recognize either, however, the yelling of his name by a voice he would know anywhere sent a surge of hope through his soul, help was close, it was coming, help for him, but more importantly for John.

"CALEB!" Jim watched as Dean dropped the ax and took off running, taking only a fraction of a second for the word the boy had shouted to register. In the next instant the older man took off running behind the teen, watching as the younger boy reached Caleb, his heart dropping as he watched the twenty-two year old collapse into Dean's arms.

"Shit…" Dean mumbled as he reached his friend, who proceeded to drop to his knees, the teen just barely making it to him before he went face first into the gravel, "whoa man, I got ya!" feeling his best friend crumble into him nearly stopped Dean's heart as he tried to gently lay the older man down, "Caleb? Look at me Damien!" The teen had his hands on either side of his friends face, trying to get the older man to open his eyes.

Watching as his friend struggled to do the simple task, Dean felt Jim drop next to him, "Dean? Oh God, Caleb?" Jim reached a hand out, immediately checking the young man's pulse.

Looking pleadingly to Jim Dean spoke, "Get Mac!", it was in that moment Caleb's hand came up and latched onto Dean's jacket.

"Deu.." Caleb's slurred words were nearly a whisper.

"Right here, come on and open your damn eyes." The fear in Dean voice was clear, even in Caleb's injured state.

"Vision…" Caleb forced out, his eyes barely opening, looking unfocused toward his friend, "had…vision…driving…"

"Caleb?" Jim's voice caused the psychic to try and turn his head toward the Pastor.

Trying to take a deep-breath that hitched in his chest as the cracked ribs made themselves known again, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain, "Johnny…hurt…vision…" The pain in his chest and his head was making its full effects known as Caleb's breathing became quicker, his body arching slightly against the pull as he tried to bring in air.

Terrified eyes looked up and met Jim's as Dean kept his hands on his friends head and arm, "Jim?"

Taking in what the injured man's broken words could mean, Jim got to his feet, "Stay with him, try to keep him calm." With that the older man took off toward the house.

"Caleb, listen to me, you need to calm down." Dean's mind was racing, seeing his friend hurt, the mumbled words of a vision possibly involving his father, "Damien, listen to me, open your eyes and look at me."

Again unforced eyes meet his terrified green ones, "Johnny…" Caleb mumbled between ragged breaths.

"Jim's taken care of it, you need to relax, Mac's coming okay? Just breathe for me." Dean felt his panic increase when his friend's eyes slipped closed one more time, but this time the fisted gripe on the front of his jacket released as well, the older man's hand slipping to the ground, "Caleb!…Caleb!" Dean shook his friend, trying to wake him, "no, no, no…" With a shaking hand the teen reached for his friend's neck, only releasing a panicked breath when he felt the rapid pulse thumping against his fingers. Taking one last look at his best friend's, his brother's, lax face, Dean turned his head and yelled, "MAC!"

Mac had stepped to the back door, staying to the side, not sure what was going on, but wanting to see if his friend and his best friend's son ran into any trouble. Sammy had stayed near the entrance of the kitchen as he watched Mac move. They both heard a muffled shout from outside, but neither clear on the words, but at that moment the Scholar felt a fear and anxiety wash over him that nearly took his breath, "Mac?" Sammy whispered as he watched the older man pale slightly, raising his hand to his head.

"I'm okay Sam, stay put." Mac didn't understand what had just happened, but he soon saw Jim running back toward the house. Stepping out onto the stairs he noticed a form slumped on the ground near the end of the driveway, "Jim?"

"It's Caleb; I'm calling an ambulance…" Without stopping Jim raced up the stairs past Mac, into the house, the words not seeming to register until the Doctor heard Jim order Sammy, "Son, get Mackland's bag from the closet." it was then it clicked, Jim had said Caleb.

Dropping the shotgun that was still clutched in his hand, Mac took off running toward the end of the drive just as Dean's panicked voice shouted, "MAC!"

"Caleb!" Mac yelled as he ran closer, the panic he'd heard in the way Dean shouted his name, as well as the feelings that hit him while he was still inside the house, only increased his fear when he didn't hear his son respond to him. Dropping next to him, across from Dean, his hand too went to his son's neck, needing to know the young man was still alive. Looking quickly at Dean Mac asked, "How long's he been unconscious?"

"Just a minute or so, his words were slurred, he said something about a vision and driving." Dean's attention stayed on his friend, the only comfort was the continued rise and fall, though a little to fast, of Caleb's chest.

Dean faintly heard the back door slam again, the sound of running feet drawing closer, suddenly there was a light being sit down next to Caleb's head as Dean looked up and saw the scared face of his little brother, Mac's medical bag in his hand. "Caleb?" the small boy whispered.

"How long on the ambulance?" Mac asked the younger boy, taking his bag digging out what he needed. When the child didn't answer the Doctor glanced at him, "Sammy?"

Shaking his head slightly, his eyes never leaving the bloodied, pale face of the man on the ground before him, he answered, "About ten minutes."

"Where's Jim? We need a couple of blankets." At Mac's response, Dean quickly removed his jacket, laying it over his friend.

"He's on the phone, I'll get the blankets!" Sammy said turning to run back toward the house.

Dean watched as Mac listened to Caleb's chest, both trying to ignore the unnatural stillness of the young man between them. "Mac?"

Glancing up again, Mac met fearful, moss-green eyes, "I don't know…concussion at least, he's having some respiratory distress, possible cracked or broken ribs. You said he mentioned a vision and driving?"

Nodding Dean trying to calm himself as the distant sound of sirens could be heard, "Yeah, you think he wrecked the Jeep?"

"That would explain the head wound, but I don't understand, he can usually tell when one is coming, has time to react, what made this different?" Mac glanced up as he heard a vehicle quickly making its way down the driveway just as Sammy got back with the blankets.

"He mentioned Dad…" Dean didn't want to think of what it meant for his father, if Caleb had a vision about the older man.

Any further discussion stopped as the Paramedics reached them, Dean stood up, backing out of the EMTs way. Feeling Sammy step next to him, "He had a vision about Dad?" Sammy's small-sounding voice whispered as they watched the medics put a brace around Caleb's neck then effortlessly rolled him, placing a board under the unconscious man.

"I don't know Sammy, maybe." Dean put his hand on his little brother's shoulder, as they continued to watch the Paramedics strap Caleb to a stretcher, preparing to move him.

"I'm going with him." Mac responded as his son was pushed toward the ambulance. Looking back at John's son's before climbing in the rig, "Have Jim meet us there, everything will be okay." The Doctor wasn't sure if he was saying those words for the boys benefit or his own.

Mac's words didn't bring any comfort to Dean as he watched the back doors of the rig slam shut and the vehicle make its way back down the drive. "Let's get Jim." Dean said as he grabbed Mac's discarded bag, Sammy grabbing the lantern he'd brought, as both boys taking off toward the house.


	4. Chapter 4

The Way Home  
Chapter 4  
By: Montez  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Running back toward the house a million things seemed to run through Jim Murphy's mind, the two prominent were his concern for not only the injured boy lying in his driveway, but for his friend who was hundreds of miles away in South Dakota. He hated that he'd had to rush past Mackland, only telling the man that it was his son that had stumbled down the driveway, but he needed to get help for both men. After ordering Sammy to get Mac's medical bag from the closet the Pastor grabbed the phone called for an ambulance. He didn't know what kind of injuries Caleb had, but if he had wrecked his Jeep, they had no idea how far or how long the boy had been walking to get to the farm. Once being told help was on the way, Sammy came back through the kitchen with not only with the Doctor's bag, but a lantern from the closet as well. Grabbing the item from the smaller boy, Jim quickly lit it, "Ambulance will be here in about ten minutes, go!"

Without a word the boy ran out the back door, Jim ran his hand through his graying hair as he grabbed the phone again, dialing a number he hoped would put in contact with John. As the phone rang he silently prayed that Caleb was just confused about the vision and that John was all right. The sound of the phone being picked up pulled the Pastor from his prayer, "Singer."

"Robert, where's Jonathon?" Jim asked as soon as Bobby had spoken.

"What? Jim is that you?" Bobby was taken aback by the worried voice on the other end of his line; it was rare for the Guardian to call him.

"Yes, where's John?" Jim's unusual use of the shortened version of John's name told Bobby that something was definitely wrong.

"He left a few hours ago to scout the woods about ten miles from here, is something wrong? Are the boys okay?" The mechanics heart started to race at the thought of something happening to one of John's boys, though he'd never admit it, those kids, as well as, Caleb had really grown on him.

Jim put his hand to his face, this wasn't good, the feeling he had in his stomach continued to grow worse. "The boys are fine, but you need to find John, call in some help and find him, he could be hurt."

"What? What makes you think he's hurt?" Bobby started searching his desk for a list of hunters within a couple hours drive of his place as he waited for Jim to answer.

"I think Caleb had a vision." Jim's words stopped the hunter in his search; Caleb having a vision was never good news.

"What do you mean you think he had a vision, what did he tell you?" Bobby listened as Jim blew out a deep-breath.

"I don't know exactly what happened, he came stumbling down my driveway and collapsed, he's hurt, we think he was driving when the vision happened and he could have wrecked the Jeep, but he was able to say something about a vision and Jonathon, now please, start looking for him, as soon as I know more about Caleb I'm going to be headed your way. We'll be at the hospital in New Haven if you find him before you hear from me; I'll call before I leave Louisville." Jim didn't give Bobby time to respond, hanging up the phone as the boys came in the back door. Within minutes they were headed for the small hospital in town.

oxoxoxoxox

Being Dr. Mackland Ames didn't do a damn thing for him as he exited the back of the ambulance with his unconscious son, only to be stopped from entering the treatment area Caleb was taken. "Please that's my son." Mac tried to plead, he could feel panic rising as he lost sight of the boy.

"I'm sorry, if you could take a seat, a doctor will be out as soon as possible." The nurse gave him a look of sympathy when Mac finally backed up, running his hands over his face.

Knowing that arguing with the woman wouldn't get him to his son, Mac backed up; finding a chair with a view of the doors his son had just passed through. Sitting heavily as everything seemed to catch up to him, all he knew for sure was his son was hurt and unconscious. That he could have possibly been in a car wreck and on top of that could have experienced a vision of something happening to John. Blowing out a deep-breath, he leaned forward, elbows on his knees, his head cradled in his hands, silently praying he would wake up from this nightmare.

oxoxoxoxox

The next time John opened his eyes, it was to the feel of someone tapping on his face, "Come on old man, no sleeping on the job, you'd have my ass if it were me." The familiar voice sounded far away, his mind trying to piece together just who it belonged too. "Come on man look at me so I know your still in there." Turning his head slowly, the cold of the night dulling the pain his body was in, his dark eyes, met all too familiar golden ones.

"Caleb?" John watched the worried expression cross the young man's face. The older hunter didn't remember Caleb being on the hunt with him, in fact he remembered leaving Bobby's by himself. "What…" John's mind going fuzzy a minute as he closed his eyes again.

The incessant tapping on his face returned, "Like I said man, no sleeping, we need to get you moving." Caleb's worried tone filtered through John's mind, grounding him.

"What are you doing here?" John opened his eyes again, noticing the kid rummaging through the duffle the older hunter recognized as being the one he was carrying.

"Hoping your first aid kit is in here…ah ha…" Triumphantly pulling the box from the small bag, he popped it open, pulling out the gauze, then reaching back into the bag for a bottle of water. Once getting water on the material, he tried to rub away some of the blood from John's face, the older man attempting to push his hand away. "Damn it John let me see where the bloods coming from, then we'll see what else in wrong."

"Didn't answer Junior what…" John tried to get the kid to answer him only to be stopped in mid-sentence by a coughing spell. His body instinctively tried to curl, but Caleb's strong hand on his right shoulder stopped him.

Worry clouded Caleb's face as he watched his mentor battle to breath through the coughing, and by the pain on the older man's face and his hitched breaths, indicated broken ribs as well. "Just take it easy, breathe slow. Can you tell me if anything beside your ribs are busted?"

Trying to drag in a breath wasn't as easy as Caleb was making it sound, the pain of the broken ribs grinding together made spots dance in his vision again. "Shoulder…left arm and shoulder."

"What about your legs, can you still feel them?" Caleb moved to look at the older man's legs; both were in somewhat normal looking positions considering John had tumbled thirty-odd feet.

At the mention of his legs John tried to move them, feeling the stiffness from lying in one spot for too long, he was relieved when he felt them shift a little. "Don't feel broken, just sore."

"I bet, look I'm gonna try and help you sit up so I can get a better look at your shoulder. You ready?" Caleb had moved back toward his friends head.

Gritting his teeth as pain continued to come with every breath, John looked at his protégé, "Just do it".

Taking a deep-breath, Caleb slide his arm under the older man as John tried to use his right hand to help push himself up, moving slowly, he had John about half-way up when the man released a pain-filled yell, then went limp in the young psychic's arms. "Damn it…can't we catch a break?" Caleb whispered as he leaned the older man against him, now at least in a somewhat upright position, quickly he checked John's pulse, leaning his head against the top of his mentors when he found one.

_A/N: well?_


	5. Chapter 5

The Way Home  
Chapter 5  
By: Montez

_A/N: Boone is a character created by Ridley, he makes appearances in a few Brotherhood stories, so I thought I'd borrow him for a while. Kevin is an OC, I just thought since John stress's not hunting alone, any good hunter would have a partner._

Bobby had gotten a hold of a couple other hunters in the area and told them to meet him near the entrance of the rugged hiking area that John had gone to check out. So far Bobby's research wasn't turning up anything and he was starting to think the stories the kids around town were talking about were just that, stories. Pulling up to the parking area, his headlights shined across the Impala, parked alone in the small lot. Getting out and checking the car, which looked okay, he turned as another vehicle came into view. Bobby watched as Boone got out of the truck, followed by his hunting partner, a man named Kevin. Bobby was lucky that Boone was in the area since he was one of the best trackers the Brotherhood had, next to John.

Stepping toward their vehicle Bobby held out his hand, "Boone, Kevin thanks for getting here so fast."

Kevin just nodded as Boone shook Bobby's hand, then spoke, "What's going on, you said something about Winchester?"

Walking toward the back of the red-haired hunters truck, Bobby explained what he knew, "Jim called saying that they think Caleb had a vision about John, that he was hurt. John left my place about five hours ago, was gonna check on some rumors I'd picked up from some kids in town about something chasing them in the woods, but the more I look into it the more it looks like them just maken stuff up."

Boone stopped at the mention of Mac's son, most members of the Brotherhood knew of the boy's 'death visions', "What do you mean they think he had a vision?"

The older man slammed the tailgate after retrieving his and his partner's backpacks, flicking on their flashlights as they neared the woods. "Jim said that Caleb showed up on foot, hurt, they think he had a vision while he was driving, though I've been told the kid usually can tell when ones coming, so I'm not sure how he could have wrecked. Anyway, he mentioned something about a vision and John before he passed out, so Jim called and pretty much ordered me to get some people together and track John down."

Stopping at the edge of the woods each man took out their walkie-talkies, tuning to the same channel, "How do you want to do this?" Boone asked.

"I guess just see what we can find as far as a trail and hopefully we'll find him. Jim's gonna be heading this way if he doesn't hear from us once he knows Caleb's okay, he's suppose to page me before he leaves Louisville, I'll have to met him at the airport. I'll let you know when I leave with this," holding up the small black device in his hand up, "if we don't find John by daybreak, met back at my place and we'll call in more help." Bobby hated having to be in charge of something like this, but it was John and though the man could piss him off quicker than anyone, he wasn't about to lose the Knight on his watch.

oxoxoxoxoxox

Mac looked up as he heard the automatic doors open, standing when he saw Jim and the boys enter. The Pastor quickly making his way toward the Doctor, "How is he?" Mac glanced at Dean as the boy stopped right next to Jim, Sammy just a step behind. The fear on the older boys face told Mac just how much this ordeal was affecting everyone.

"They haven't told me anything yet, but he didn't regain consciousness on the way. Do we even know what the hell happened?" Mac's looked between Jim and Dean, hoping one of them could tell him something.

Jim motioned for them to sit; he took a seat next to Mac, while Dean and Sammy sat across from them. "We passed a police car about two miles from the farm, we stopped to see if maybe it had something to do with Caleb and it appears he did run his Jeep off the road, it was about twenty-yards off, a couple of trees stopped it. I told the officer that Caleb was already on his way here, they will probably want to talk to him once we know he's okay, I asked if they could have the Jeep towed back to my place, so that's taken care of."

Mac shook his head slightly, "I don't understand, if he had a vision while driving, he should have noticed the signs and had time to pull off."

"Maybe the fact it was possibly about Jonathon, made it different some how, it's a closer connection." Jim was grasping at straws; he never really understood how the boy's visions worked.

Looking at Dean and Sammy, Mac returned his gaze to Jim, "Do we know where John is?" Worry for his friend taking up residence with the worry for his son.

"Robert's getting some people together to start looking for him; he's supposed to be about ten miles from the salvage yard. I told him that once I know how Caleb is that I'd be heading out that way, unless they call saying they've found Jonathon." Jim answered as Dean's quiet voice spoke.

"I'm going with you." Jim and Mac looked at the teen, fear and worry clearly showing in his eyes.

"I don't think…" Jim started but was stopped when the older boy stood.

"You don't think what, that I should be helping to look for my Dad. I know what Caleb's visions mean, the more people we have out looking for Dad the better chances we have of finding him before…" Dean couldn't finish the sentence; he wouldn't allow himself to think about the possibility that his father could be dead.

"Dean please, understand…" Again Jim was interrupted by the teenager.

"Next to Dad, I'm the best tracker you've got, he's taught me everything he knows, who better to try and find him then me?" The Pastor's response was cut off by the arrival of a doctor.

"Family of Caleb Reaves."

oxoxoxoxoxox

That annoying tapping was back as John again struggled to open his eyes, at first he thought he was blind with the darkness that had settled around him, but soon a small light came on to his right. "You back with me?" Caleb's quiet, worried voice asked.

"Barely…" John responded as he tried to draw in a shallow breath, the painful hitch in his side reminding him of the broken ribs.

"That's something." Caleb shifted slightly, hoping to not jar John's shoulder. "We need to get moving, you can't wait for someone to find you." Leaning John against the tree stump he'd been leaning against, Caleb maneuvered out from behind his mentor and started collecting the scattered items from the small duffle.

"How'd you get here?" John watched his protégé move around, flashlight held between his teeth. His mind still not clear on what happened.

Caleb's tired eyes looked at John, "A vision."

John knew Caleb's visions were never good news, but the thought of the boy getting to him before anyone else confused the older man, he'd thought that Caleb was driving to Jim's from New York. "How'd you get here? You were headed to Jim's."

Shrugging his shoulders slightly he slung the duffle up on one, then knelt back next to John, "Nobody else was gonna be able to reach you in time." The fear John saw in Caleb's eyes told him the kid was right. "Now let's see if your legs can hold you, I'm so not carrying your sorry ass out of here." There was only the faintest hint of Caleb's normal smirk as he reached toward his friend, taking his right arm attempting to pull the injured man up.

John gave a low groan as his left shoulder screamed out, as did the ribs when he shifted. Once Caleb got Winchester to his feet, the Psychic helped John sit on the stump a minute to catch his breath as another coughing spell nearly sent the man back to the ground. "That cough doesn't sound too good."

Finally dragging in a ragged breath, John's pain-filled eyes met golden ones, "I'm fine, damn cold."

After another minute Caleb reached down, getting John to his feet again, raising the hurt man's right arm up over his shoulder then hooking his hand in the man's belt loop to try and avoid putting any more pressure on his broken ribs. "Keep telling yourself that Johnny and we just might get you out of this mess."

After taking a few steps John's weak voice spoke, "How do you know where you're going?" John didn't normally doubt Caleb, but the kid hadn't ever been in these woods before and it was nearly pitch black.

Shifting under the older man's weight Caleb answered, "I was trained by the best damn tracker I know, you could drop me into the middle of the damn rainforest and I could find my way back." Caleb could sense that John was scared though the man would die before he would admit it. "Do you trust me Johnny?"

The words hung in the air, Caleb trusted John with his life, but the older hunter was known for having a hard time allowing others to take the lead, for trusting others. John tried to straighten some, hating that the younger man seemed to be carrying so much of his weight, but the kid's presence alone gave John the hope he needed that he'd get out of this just fine, "With my life Junior…with my life." The sincerity of those words settled between the two men as they pressed on into the darkness.

_A/N: Thanks so far for the reviews and alerts, I'll try to reply as soon as I can, but I really appreciate it that you guys like my story and take the time for it. I'm struggling with the final few chapters of this story, so keep your fingers crossed that I can figure something out that's a worthy ending to it. Thanks again-Montez_


	6. Chapter 6

The Way Home  
Chapter 6  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Mac stood, followed by the others, "I'm Dr. Mackland Ames, Caleb's father."

The doctor held his hand out for Mac, "I'm Dr. McGuire, I've been treating Caleb."

"Please, how is my son? Is he awake?" Mac watched a strange look cross the doctor's face, sending his concern through the roof.

"If you'll follow me I can tell you about your son." Dr. McGuire wasn't sure how he was going to explain the young man's condition to his father, he was actually a little baffled himself.

Mac looked from Jim to the Winchester boys, torn between hearing what the doctor had to say in private, in case it was bad news, or letting them all hear Caleb's condition at the same time. "Please, whatever you need to tell me, they can hear. Just tell me my son is all right."

"Have a seat…" Dr. McGuire motioned for them to sit, reluctantly the group returned to their seats, the doctor taking one next to Mac.

"Caleb has a moderate concussion and a couple of cracked ribs, I'd assume from the car accident the EMT mentioned. He also has several cuts and bruises, but I'm concerned that he hasn't regained consciousness yet. None of his injures seem to be warranting his continued unconscious state. However, when we ran a CT scan, we found some unusual activity within his brain." The doctor watched as worry continued on the father's face, as well as those around him.

"What kind of activity?" The Neurosurgeon in him wanted access to his son's scans, to see if he could figure out what was going on, but the father in him was scared to death that he wouldn't like what he saw.

"Honestly, it's heard to explain, I've never seen anything like it in someone who's unconscious. But the scans indicate areas of activity that would normally show up in a person that is fully conscious." As the doctor's words faded, Mac tried to understand what the man was saying.

It was Jim's voice that asked the next question, "What do you mean?"

Clearing his throat the doctor did his best to try and explain something that he, himself, had never seen. "The scan we ran, normally would show less brain activity in someone who is unconscious, almost like when a person is sleeping, but Caleb's scan has areas of the brain lit up that are only active when a person us fully awake, even his vitals are responding as if he's awake, his respiration is unsteady, his heart rate is fluctuating like someone who is up moving around, I've honestly never seen anything like it before."

Mac finally found his voice, "What are you doing for him now?"

Dr. McGuire straighten a little, "Right now the only thing we can do is monitor him, to make sure whatever is happening inside his brain doesn't start to cause any more problems with his breathing or heart and hope that he does wake up soon. I'm sorry I wish I could tell you better news, but this is a first for me. I'm going to make a few phone calls and see if anyone has ever seen anything like this. However, by the look on your face Dr. Ames I'd assume you've never heard of anything like this before either?"

"No I haven't," Mac answered, "would it be possible for me to look over my son's scan? Neurology is my specialty; maybe I can try and make some sense of it."

The doctor stood, as did the rest of the group, "I'll have them brought to you. Like I said we'll monitor him closely and take whatever measures are needed if any other problems arise."

"Can I see my son?" Mac desperately wanted to see Caleb, something was going on with his son and if it was connected to his abilities then the older man needed to figure it out and hopefully be able to help pull his son from the unconscious state he'd slipped into.

"You all can come and see him for a few minutes, then we will be moving him to a room, I've scheduled another scan, it will be a couple hours before we're able to perform it, that should give you time to look over the first one, then you can watch as the other one is performed." Dr. McGuire turned, the other's silently following behind.

oxoxoxoxox

John was never one to show weakness, especially in front of the boys, but his body was screaming at him that they needed to stop for a minute, the pounding of his head, the painful pull in his chest with each breath he tried to take was causing spots to dance in his vision, "Hold up…Junior…" John could feel the cough coming, knowing the pain it would send through him, he needed to stop, if only for a minute.

They had been walking for nearly an hour, but Caleb could pick up on the minute John needed to stop. He could feel the older man trying to contain the round of coughing that soon overtook him. Caleb managed to get John leaning against a tree before the worst of the spell took hold, then did his best to keep his injured friend upright. This time the coughing was so hard the older man started to gag. "Easy, just try to take small breaths." The Psychic was standing right in front of John when he felt his mentor lean forward, resting his head against Caleb's shoulder. The young man felt fear settle in his stomach at how weak John seemed to be getting. Holding the man up while John tried to catch his breath, it was then that Caleb felt the heat radiating off the other hunter.

Once the older man seemed to be getting his breath back, Caleb pushed him back against the tree, "Think you can stand here a second, I need to get you some water, you're burning up."

When John didn't answer Caleb looked up from the duffle he'd just dropped. Even in the near pitch blackness of the forest, the young man could see the paleness of his mentor, his hair sticking to his sweaty forehead, his breath coming even more labored than before. But as he started to return his gaze to the duffle, something caught his eyes, which caused his own heart rate to increase. Slowly he reached his hand up toward John's face, with his thumb he smeared the dark line that was coming from the corner of John's mouth, "Shit…" He whispered as he pulled his hand back, blood covering his thumb. Trying to calm his own panic he grabbed the bottle of water from the bag. "You still with me old man?"

It took a moment for John to respond, his head lulling against the tree, his eye's barely open, "This old man…can still kick your ass if you…don't watch that mouth."

"Sure you can," Caleb tried to keep his voice light, relieved a little that John's confident cockiness was still in there, despite the dire situation they both knew he was in. "Here, take a drink, then we need to get moving again." The twenty-two year old placed the bottle against John's lips and tilted, the older man taking a small drink, then weakly pushing Caleb's hand away. Between the cold of the night and the fever that was taking hold of him, John's hands were starting to shake.

"You go find help, I'll stay right here." John whispered.

Dropping the bottle back into the bag, bringing it back to his shoulder, Caleb reached for John's arm again, "Like hell I'm leaving you, then have you bitch at me for leaving you, no thanks. You're stuck with me until I get you back to Bobby's."

Reluctantly John let Caleb take some of his weight, "I could taste it kid, it's just gonna get worse, besides…we're too far from Bobby's, don't know if I can make it that far."

"You know you're really starting to piss me off Johnny, I thought you said you trusted me." Caleb tried to sound hurt, tried to mask the fear and worry he was felling.

"Do…just don't know about me." John's voice faded, he was never one to give up, but even a good soldier knew when it was time to raise the white flag.

Caleb was starting to feel anger now, how could John just want to give up. "You know, I never took you for a quitter. All that shit you've drilled into my head about pushing on; ignoring injuries until the job was done, licking your wounds after the fight, what happened to that?"

Again the weaknesses in John's voice twisted Caleb's gut, "Tired…"

"I'm tired too old man, but somebody's got to watch your back. Besides I've got to have someone on my ass to hound me to keep my focus on the job; you know how easily I get distracted. Plus I'm not ready to put up with Deuce's and Sammy's whole teenage attitudes, I remember what I was like, ain't no way I want to deal with that shit by myself." Caleb was doing his best to distract John, keep his mind off the pain, and the long trek through the woods.

"They're good boys…" John tried to take another deep-breath, but his ribs reminded him why he couldn't, "you too…"

"Because of you, now shut up and let's get you out of these fucking woods." Caleb chocked slightly, it was rare for John to say how he really felt, he knew John was trying to make some sort of peace, but Caleb wasn't going to let him give up, he needed to get him back to the boys, back home.

_A/N: Okay I have no medical knowledge, so I'm just messing with Caleb and his unconscious state to add more angst and worry for those who are with him at the hospital. Forgive me and I hope you are still enjoying, more to come soon!-Montez_


	7. Chapter 7

The Way Home  
Chapter 7  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Mac stepped into Caleb's room first; the sight of his son in a hospital bed was never something the Doctor could get use to. There had been a few times the boy had been hurt bad enough on a hunt that warranted a trip to the hospital, but normally the twenty-two year old tried to avoid hospitals at all cost, to many bad memories.

The father noticed the machines that were attached to his son. First was the heart monitor, that showed an increased rate that didn't match his son's unconscious state, there was also a blood pressure cuff wrapped around the young man's arm, connected to a machine that automatically took a reading every ten minutes. An oxygen canal was under his nose as the young man's respirations were far to fast for someone who wasn't awake. Stepping forward Mac laid his hand on Caleb's forehead feeling a slight dampness. "Is he running a fever?" Mac turned toward the doctor who was standing near the foot of the bed.

Dr. McGuire looked confused a moment as he picked up Caleb's chart, "He hadn't been." The doctor left the room to retrieve a thermometer.

Jim stepped up to Mac as Dean and Sammy came up on the other side of the bed, Dean reaching out and laying his hand on his best friend's arm, he could feel a little bit of heat coming off the injured man. Jim's voice brought the teens attention to Mac, "Mackland, what is it?"

"He's sweating, Jim this reminds me of when John has the boys out in the woods for training. The heart rate, his respiration, even the sweating, it's almost like he's training or something, it doesn't make sense." Mac looked up as the doctor returned to the room, Dean and Sammy stepping back so the physician could get next to Caleb. They all watched as the doctor took the young man's temperature.

"His temperature is elevated slightly, I'll have some more blood work run, he wasn't showing any signs of an infection before, but I'll double check to make sure." Dr. McGuire again left the room.

Jim watched the boy in the bed a minute, then something crossed his mind, "Mackland, is it possible that if he did have a vision about John, that what's happening to Caleb now has something to do with what he saw?"

Mac paled a little, "I don't know, it could be possible, we're still discovering how some of his abilities work."

Just then a nurse walked in and handed Mac the results of Caleb's first CT scan. All eyes were on the Doctor as he looked over the papers; Dean had returned his hand to Caleb's arm, needing the connection to know his friend was still with them. This was one of those times Dean hated the abilities Caleb had, he'd witnessed a few visions, seeing how they could drain him, it made him feel useless in helping his best friend, his brother.

"This doesn't make sense." Mac mumbled as he read the papers.

"What?" Jim asked, watching the Scholar shake his head.

"Dr. McGuire was right; these scans show the activity of a person that is fully awake, not someone who's unconscious…" Mac's comment was cut off by a sudden increase in Caleb's heart rate and breathing, the blood pressure cuff also activated.

"Mac, what's going on?" Dean's panicked voice asked as the doctor and a nurse rushed back into the room.

The doctor placed a stethoscope against Caleb's chest as he listened to the rapid heartbeat, the monitor letting the others hear it as well, then just as suddenly as it happened they all watched as Caleb drew in several deep-breaths, slowing the heart rate to were it was, but still to fast for the state he was in.

"I'm going to put a rush on your son getting that next scan." The doctor looked at Mac, who could only nod, it was terrifying him that he didn't know what was going on with Caleb, or how to stop it.

Jim watched everything that was happening, feeling powerless he help. It was killing him to think that he needed to leave and head toward Bobby's, but with Mackland here and Caleb in the hospital where he could be monitored, the Guardian felt he didn't have a choice, the Knight was missing, possible injured, he needed to pool their resources into finding him. The Pastor stepped up next to Mac, who was again next to his son, holding onto the younger man's hand. "Mackland, I hate to leave, but I need to head out to Robert's."

"I know, just make sure you bring John back with you. I'll call you if anything changes with Caleb." Mac responded as he looked into his friend's calm, but worried gaze.

Jim nodded, then looked over toward John's boys, "Sammy I want you to stay here with Mackland, help keep an eye on him and Caleb for me, okay?"

Sammy straightened a little, he had been worried and scared since this whole thing began, he knew something was wrong with Caleb, something more than what his visions normally did to him. Plus he also knew something was wrong with his Dad, it wasn't like his father to not call if he thought he was being looked for, but as the eleven year old looked at the older man, it wasn't Pastor Jim he saw asking him to stay behind, it was the Guardian giving him a job to do. "Yes, sir."

Then Jim's pale-blue eyes focused on Dean, "As you said, your father trained you and he's one of the best trackers we have, Dean I need you to come with me." The older man watched resolve cross the teens face, in that moment the boy straightened his shoulders, the same determination set in the youth's eyes that Jim had seen in John's eyes many times before the man would head out on a hunt, a determination that said he wasn't coming back until the job was finished.

"Yes, sir." Dean answered as he gave his best friend one more look, gently squeezing the man's arm, "I'll bring him home Damien." The boy whispered. Turning toward his brother, he pulled Sammy into a quick hug, then silently followed Jim from the room.

oxoxoxoxox

"Hard to pick up a trail in this, Boone you having any luck?" Bobby was getting frustrated, they'd been in the woods a couple hours and he couldn't pick up on anything that might tell him where John might be, the newly fallen leaves making it nearly impossible.

"Maybe…" The other hunter's voice echoed back through the walkie-talkie.

Just then Bobby felt the small pager clipped to his belt vibrate, shining his light on it, the small device showed a message from Jim. "Boone, I've got to head for the airport, Jim's coming." Bobby needed time to make it back to his truck, then the hour and a half drive to the airport.

"Okay, if we find John I'll leave word back at your place, if not we'll met you there at daybreak." Boone's deep-voice responded as Bobby started to make his way back to the parking lot.

Oxoxoxoxox

John wasn't sure how long they had been walking, he just knew that Caleb was determined to get him to Bobby's so the hunter tried to focus on something other than the pain his body was feeling, the overwhelming exhaustion that was clawing at his mind. He felt his mind drifting toward his boys, he knew Dean had been pissed about having to stay at Jim's but John hadn't just wanted to drop Sammy off without Dean to run interference. Sammy had gotten to the point lately that he would argue with anyone about anything and it was pushing all the wrong buttons between the two. On the drive to Jim's Sammy had complained about everything from the weather, to having to leave another school, to the gas station they had stopped at not having his favorite soft drink. John had felt about ready to tie the kid up and put him in the trunk for the rest of the drive, but Dean had managed to, as always, step in at the perfect time to advert bloodshed on both sides.

John hated how he had made Sammy Dean's responsibility, even at the early age of four, after Mary's death. He was so messed up by what he had witnessed, by what he had learned that John didn't even really notice that Dean had taken over care of his baby brother. In the silence that followed that awful night, Dean had fell into a world that revolved around Sammy, and John was sorry to say it was a couple weeks before he realized his four-year old hadn't made a sound.

Soon after the fire was when Missouri Mosley had put John in contact with Pastor Jim Murphy, once he had revealed to the psychic that he was going to set out and find the thing that had killed his wife. It was that meeting with Jim and Dr. Mackland Ames that brought the kid that was currently hauling his ass out of these woods, into his life. Caleb had been a smart-mouth teenager when John first met him, but the newly widowed, single-father soon realized that his mute, then five-year old, seemed to be drawn to the teen. It was a while before Mac revealed Caleb's own brush with the supernatural as a child or his psychic abilities.

At first John had been worried about letting his young son be around someone like Caleb, John's only experience with anything unexplained had stolen his wife from him, not the he believed the teen would hurt his son, but the fact that he had abilities scared the older man. However, Mac and Jim soon calmed John's fears of the boys 'gifts' by revealing to him that Mac was also psychic. Then within a week of arriving at Jim's farm John noticed Dean whispering to Caleb, the sight of his son speaking to someone gave him hope that Dean was trying to work his way back to the real world. The two boys would have long conversations, of which John was never privy, but as the weeks passed, eventually Dean started talking to him again, and John believes, with all his being, that it was Caleb that brought his son back to him.

"Deuce just needed time to adjust, to figure out what happened, his only way of doing that was to shut down and focus on something to do, taking care of Sammy." Caleb's quiet voice filtered into John's thoughts.

"Reading me?" John whispered out as they continued to walk.

"The only time I can is when you're hurt or sick and now you're both, you're an open book right now." Caleb wasn't trying to pry, but the hurting man beside him wasn't able keep up his normal blocks and it allowed all his thoughts and emotion's to flow freely.

"I never thanked you." John whispered again, only just noticing the sky around them starting to go from pitch-black to a midnight blue, giving the hint that the sun would rise over the darkness.

"For what?" Caleb questioned, hoping to keep John's thought from his pain, but not really liking where the older man's mind was going.

"Giving me back my son." John felt a cough start, Caleb stopped, again leaning him against a tree until the spell passed.

Caleb bent to retrieve the water bottle from the duffle, trying to ignore the renewed trail of blood that seemed to flow from the corner of John's mouth. "Take a drink and spit it out." Caleb ordered as he lifted the bottle toward his mentor's mouth. Watching as his friend weakly follow the request, he then held the bottle back to the older man's mouth, "Couple drinks, slowly."

John had to admit the water going down his throat felt good, but the taste of blood in his mouth reminded him just how bad of shape he was in. It seemed that other than the continued hitch in his chest, his body had virtually gone numb to the pain it was in, whether it was the freezing temperatures, the fever he could feel burning through him or his body deciding it just going to start giving up, somewhere inside, John knew he didn't have much longer left.

"Not allowed to think that way Johnny." Caleb's voice grounded him in reality again as the younger man returned the bottle to the bag. "It's not too much further, promise." Again Caleb took the majority of the injured man's weight as they returned to their trek through the woods, the fear of leaving his boys or the boy beside him, driving John to continue putting one shaky step in front of the other, he wanted desperately to get home.


	8. Chapter 8

The Way Home  
Chapter 8 (revised)  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

_A/N: I've reworked chapter 8, I had a review that mentioned that my original version seemed a little rushed, so I went back and looked at it again and reworked a few things. I hope this one is better. I won't post again for about a week, I'll be out of town. I'm going to look over the other chapters I have written already to make sure they are up to the standard you guys deserve. Thanks so much for your continued support, you guys are awesome!-Montez_

Jim and Dean had managed to get a flight out of Louisville that had then landing in South Dakota around three-thirty in the morning. Neither had been asleep since they had gotten up the morning before, exhaustion pulled at their minds, but each knew they had a job to do. It was the Guardian's responsibility to organize the continued search for the Knight, and it was Dean's job to do what his father taught him to do and find him.

Walking through the airport, each carrying a single duffle, they met Bobby outside the entrance. "Have you found him yet?" Jim asked as Dean took his bag, placing in the back of Bobby's truck with his own.

Bobby adjusted his hat as he opened the drivers side door, watching Jim open the passenger side, allowing Dean to slid into the middle of the seat, "As of a few hours ago when I left Boone and Kevin, we were having a hard time even picking up a trail, with the leaves coming down and the rain we've had, it was making it hard to track him."

Jim ran a tired hand over his face as the truck started moving, "When we get to your place, we will need to call in more help."

"Why can't we just head straight out? We need to find him." Dean spoke, anger and fear heard in his words.

Bobby glanced at Jim, then at Dean before returning his gaze to the road ahead, "Look kid, I want to find your daddy too, but it's gonna be about an hour and a half before we even reach my place, if Boone hasn't found John by then, Kevin and him are meeting us back there so we can do like Jim said and call in reinforcements."

"We're wasting time." The teen mumbled, he never liked sitting around when there was a job to do, but it looked like he was going to be outvoted, even though in the back of his mind everything the two men were saying made sense. Dean had no doubt they needed more help to find his Dad, that didn't mean he had to like it.

Jim silently patted Dean's knee, letting him know he understood and that they would find John as soon as possible, the Pastor sending up a silent prayer that it wouldn't be too late. It was quiet for a few minutes before Bobby asked, "How's Caleb?"

The Mechanic saw Dean stiffen a little as Jim answered, "Honestly we aren't sure. He received minor injuries from wrecking the Jeep, but the doctor can't explain why he's still unconscious. They did a scan and it appears the activity in his brain is like that of a person that is fully awake. When we got to see him, his breathing and heart rate was almost as if he was training, like when Jonathon has the boys out in the woods around my place. Mackland looked over the scans and he's at a loss as well. The only thing the doctor's can do is continue to monitor him and hope that he wakes up before any other problems arise."

Bobby didn't know what to think, he never understood how Caleb's or Mac's psychic mojo worked, he just knew if the kid had a vision there was only a fine amount of time to try and stop it, and that didn't always work out like they wanted. But the fact that Mac didn't have an answer for what was happened with the young hunter worried Bobby; he just hoped the kid came out of it okay.

By the lightening of the sky, sunrise was about a half-hour away when Bobby pulled onto the drive that led to his place. The rest of the trip had been in silence, Dean, despite fighting it, had eventually fallen asleep against Jim's shoulder. "Looks like Boone's here." That didn't set well as the Mechanic; he knew that probably meant they hadn't found John.

Once Bobby pulled the trunk up next to the house, killing the engine, Jim reached over and shook Dean, "Son, we're here." The teen straightened up as he heard Bobby's door slam shut, rubbing his hand over his face, he slide across the seat and out the door Jim had just exited.

All three looked up as the screen door to slammed, Boone coming down Bobby's stairs, walking toward Jim, who extended his hand, "Thank you for coming Boone, were you able to find anything?"

"Jim…Dean…" The red-haired man nodded, "I'm sorry Jim, we weren't able to even pick up a trail, I'm hoping with daylight it will be easier. I took the liberty of making a few phone calls; we'll have a few more hunters here in about two hours."

"Good, that was going to be my first step," Jim responded, then looked over at Bobby as Dean came to stand next to him, "I assume you have maps of the area?"

"All ready laid out, we were looking over them before John headed out." Bobby answered, turning toward the door.

"You can show me the area, that way we'll have a grid laid out before the other's arrive." Dean silently followed the older hunter's inside.

Boone stopped the boy as he entered, "Don't worry, your daddy's a tough old bastard, we'll find him." Dean gave him a silent smile, that didn't reach his eyes. He knew the older hunter was trying to comfort him, but that wouldn't happen until they found John. Squeezing the kids shoulder, Boone turned toward the others, "Coffee should be ready."

Oxoxoxoxoxox

The sky was starting to lighten from the darker blue to a lighter version, the cloudless sky was giving promise of a beautiful sunrise, but John's only focus was of the ground under his feet. With Caleb's help he had made it out of the woods and they were now making they're way down the back country road that led to Bobby's. John wasn't sure how long they had been walking; focusing on the hope he would get to see his boys again. It was only the presence of the man beside him, carrying the majority of his weight that had kept the sick and injured man from giving up. He had never felt like this in his whole life, the shallow breaths he took barely kept the dark spots from overtaking his vision completely; his whole body was numb, except for his head that pounded from the concussion and fever.

"You still with me Johnny?" Caleb hadn't spoken in a while, focusing on keeping John moving, but now the younger man could just make out the rusted out car that sat at the end of Bobby's drive. "We're almost there."

"Said that…hours ago." John whispered his head hanging low, eyes on his feet, afraid to look up for fear of losing concentration and falling.

"This time I mean it, I can see Bobby's, just a little further, then you can rest old man." Relief was filling Caleb, he had gotten to his mentor in time and now help was within reach.

"Fuckin stop…with the…old man…shit…kick your…" John's broken voice came out between ragged breaths.

"Yeah, yeah, you'll kick my ass, I get it. I'll give you an IOU for one ass kickin." Caleb's comments had done what he wanted, they had kept John going, kept him fighting and as they stepped onto Bobby's driveway, he knew that it had helped keep John alive. Caleb inhaled a deep-breath as the mechanic's house finally came in sight; he knew his job was done when he heard one of Bobby's rottweilers start barking.

Oxoxoxoxoxo

They had been at Bobby's for just over an hour, the sun was starting to come up and Dean was pacing a rut in the floorboards of the Mechanics hallway, just outside the den. The older hunters were in the room going over the maps again, Bobby telling them why he now believed it was just a bunch of kids with a made up story and not a real hunt. Jim had efficiently marked out a grid for the hunters that were present and for those due to arrive within the next hour, a few more would be coming in later that morning. Once the first group arrived Dean would be paired up with Bobby and they would start the search in the area closest to where the Impala was still parked, retracing the part of the woods Bobby had started searching the night before, Jim would be staying behind to coordinate with the others that would be arriving later.

Dean was lost in thought when Jim stepped from the room, "We will find him." the Pastor said quietly, watching the teen.

"We should be out there all ready, we don't know how bad he might be hurt." Dean stopped, glaring at the older man. Dean didn't mean to sound harsh, but he was scared and it came out as anger.

Jim stepped forward, closing the distance between the two, placing his hand on the boys shoulder. "Your father is the one always saying don't go into a situation without a plan. You tend to let your heart rule you, which is not a bad thing, but I can not do that. I am responsible for everyone I send out, not just your father." The Guardian saw hurt pass over Dean's face, "Your father is my brother, my heart is telling me to rush out there and search for him too, but my head is telling me we need to prepare for whatever situation we find once we're out there."

"Do you think he's still alive?" Dean's voice cracked, his fears clearly heard in the question he hated to ask. Until the teen saw his father's body he would not give up hope that the man was still alive, but he needed to know if the others felt the same way, everyone knew what Caleb's visions could mean.

The Pastor stepped back, looking at his hands, his fingers twisting the silver band that at times rested so heavily on his soul. "I have faith your father is still alive, I believe I would know if he wasn't."

"A Triad thing?" Dean had read some of the journals, he knew of the mysterious connection that linked the Guardian, the Knight and the Scholar.

The Pastor gave him a sad smile; silently praying he wasn't giving the boy false hope, but deep in his heart he believed he would know if John was gone. "Something like that." Glancing at his watch noticing the time, Jim glanced toward the window as the sun was starting to filter through the shutters. "The others should be arriving soon." Jim and Dean glanced toward the den when Bobby called out to the older man. The teen watched as the Guardian turned and headed back toward the other hunters, he then turned and headed toward the kitchen, needing another cup of coffee.

Dean had been leaning against the counter in Bobby's kitchen working on his second cup of coffee, watching the sun shine off the stack of rusted cars not far from the kitchen window. His thoughts again drifted back to Caleb, he had seen his friend hurt on hunts before, but the feeling of his best friend, his brother, collapsing into his arms the night before brought a fear in him that he had never felt. He always worried about his family, they were his life, his father, little brother and his extended family of Uncles, but his feeling toward Caleb were closest related to those he felt for Sammy. The Psychic was his big brother, he was one of only two people who knew who Dean really was, the teen never had to be guarded around Caleb. The twenty-two year old was the only person who seemed to understand him when he had been the quiet five-year old everyone wanted to talk, but who couldn't because his world had just been shattered. Caleb had sat hours with him without saying a word, allowing the broken boy to find his way back to his family.

Dean's attention was brought to the front of the house when he heard one of Bobby's dogs start barking. His heart jumped at the hope some of the other hunters were arriving early, he needed to be out looking for his Dad. Sitting his mug down the teen headed toward the front door, expecting to see a vehicle pulling up to the house. But as he stepped out on the porch, he got a feeling like he had the night before at Jim's; again he didn't see or hear anything other than the dog barking. Unlike last night, this time Dean had a weapon on him, he pulled it, checking the safety then returning it to the small of his back, before he headed down the stairs. Like Jim's farm, the boy knew Bobby had protections in place against anything supernatural; however he was glad it was daylight this time, making it easier to see if someone or something was approaching. Dean stood there, staring down the drive, debating if he should call for men who were still inside the house as the canine continued to bark, pulling as far as it could against its chain.

Oxoxoxoxox

Clearing the pile of stacked cars, that marked the end of the driveway, opening up to the yard in front of Bobby's house, John felt Caleb shift his weight, bring his arm back down to his side. When the house came into view he heard Caleb whisper, "Deuce is here, you're gonna be fine now Johnny."

At the mention of the nickname Caleb had for his eldest son, John felt hope fill him. They had made it to Bobby's and some how his son was here; he needed to see the boy. He had struggled through the night, allowing Caleb to drag his sick and broken form through the woods, but now with the sun rising behind him, John knew he had made it, knew that he was going to okay, Dean was waiting for him.

With the last bit of strength the hurting man could pull together, John lifted his head, taking his eyes off his stumbling feet, looking toward the house, he saw the unmistakable form of his son standing near the foot of the stairs. For a moment the injured hunter felt a smile cross his face, then the spots that had been hovering around the edges of his vision, slowly started to come together. In that second before he felt himself stumble the Knight heard his son yell, then saw the boy running toward him, before the blackness closed in completely.

Oxoxoxoxox

As with the night before, Dean started to slowly make his way toward the driveway, something inside telling him to go forward. He was about twenty feet from the bottom of the stairs when a figure stumbled past the stake of cars that were piled at the edge of Bobby's yard. A feeling of déjà vu came over the teen again as he watched the form raise their head, the teen felt his heart leap into his throat, as the recognition was instant. His sole focus was reaching the stumbling figure as he took off running, "DAD!"


	9. Chapter 9

The Way Home  
Chapter 9  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Sammy was curled up in a chair on the other side of Caleb's bed, sleep finally claiming the younger boy. Mac had been unable to rest, the unexplained activity visible in the scan's of his son's brain still puzzling the Doctor, but the older man was also worried by the continued hours of Caleb's somewhat unstable condition. The young man's respiration and heart rate had stayed unnaturally high, the fever never going very high, but he continued to have a sheen of sweat across his forehead, matting his dark hair against his pale face.

In the hours of listening to the rapid beeping of the heart monitor, as well as, the rapid breaths his son was taking, Mac had gotten use to the sound. However it was the sudden deep-breath Caleb took and the immediate reaction of the monitors that had Mac on his feet, next to his son. "Caleb?" Mac heard the nurse enter the room; they had been monitoring his son closely at the nurse's station, with the sudden rapid decrease in his rhythm the doctor was quickly paged.

Within minutes Dr. McGuire entered the room, as the nurse started to record the new set of vitals, "What happened?" The doctor took in the significant change in the young man's situation, finally his vitals seemed to be coming in line with someone who is unconscious.

Mac took a hold of his son's hand, laying his other on Caleb's head, "I'm not sure, he took a deep-breath, then everything quickly started to level off."

"I'm going to order a new scan, to see if the activity in is brain has decreased as well, hopefully if we are lucky he will be waking up soon." The doctor stepped out of the room to make arrangements for another scan.

Sammy's quiet voice spoke, Mac just realizing the boy was awake, "Is Caleb okay?"

"I hope so…everything seems to be dropping to where it should be, he's going to have another scan soon, I hope that it will give us some good news." Mac tried to give the younger boy a reassuring smile, though fear still gripped him.

Oxoxoxoxox

Dean's shout from outside sent the older hunters toward the door; they hadn't realized he had left the house until they heard him yell from the yard; Bobby was the first onto the porch, followed by Jim. "Boone call an ambulance!" Bobby shouted taking off down the stairs, Jim close behind, as they raced across the yard to where the boy was on his knees in the dirt, a prone figure laid out in front of him.

Oxoxoxoxox

It seemed to take Dean forever to cross the yard as he saw a weak smile cross his father's face before the man's legs gave out and he crumbled to the ground, the teen sliding to a stop next to John just seconds after the collapse. "Dad? Oh God…" Dean's hand hovered for a second, unsure what to do. John's face was so pale it was almost translucent, but the heat the boy felt even before he touched him, told of a fever raging within the man's body. The dried blood on his forehead surrounded the massive bruise his father was sporting, but the seemingly fresh blood that was near John's lips screamed of the possibility of internal injures.

Finally reaching a shaking hand toward John's neck, Dean felt tears flow at the relief of feeling a pulse. Dean took his father's face in his hands, the heat unbelievable, "Dad, please wake up!" The teen sounded so young, the fear for his father was nearly breaking him. The young boy didn't even realize that Bobby had dropped to the ground across from him, the older hunter's hand immediately going to the unconscious man's neck.

"He's alive, but he's burning up." Bobby glanced at Dean, who's only focus was his father, then he looked up at Jim. "How the hell did he get here?"

"I don't know, but we need to try and stabilize him until the ambulance gets here, we don't know what kind of injuries he may have on the inside." Jim had also noticed the blood around John's mouth and his extremely labored breathing, indications of internal injuries.

"Dad, come… please don't give up…Dad." Dean continued to plead, not removing his hands from John's face, as he studied his lax form, looking for any movement, any sign that he was being heard.

Boone and Kevin arrived near the group with blankets, the red-haired hunter dragging a discarded tire toward John to place under his legs, the fear of shock becoming a worry as the man's body started to shake slightly. "Ambulance should be here anytime."

Jim knelt next to Dean, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder, but the teen never noticed, his only focus was his Dad.

Siren's soon broke through the quiet that surrounded the injured man, Dean not noticing until Jim grabbed him by the arm, moving him back so the medics could do their job. The boy didn't hear what Bobby was telling the EMTs about what they think happened, he just watched at they started IV's, placed the neck brace on John, then, like with Caleb the night before, he watched as the medics strapped his father to a backboard, loading him onto the stretcher, that was being quickly wheeled toward the ambulance, "I'm going, I have to go with him." The teen spoke as he made his way toward the rig.

Jim stepped forward when it looked like one of the medics was going to deny the boy, "That's his father, he needs to go with him, we'll be in a vehicle right behind you." The EMT nodded as he allowed Dean to climb into the back, next to John.

Just as the doors slammed shut the Pastor saw the teen reach out and take a hold of his father's hand. Before the vehicle started to pull away, Jim and Bobby were already heading for the mechanic's truck. Boone's voice letting them know that he'd stay behind, to try and get a hold of the hunters that were due to arrive later and let them know John was on his way to the hospital.

Oxoxoxoxox

As the doors slammed shut, Dean reached over and took a hold of his father's hand. The teen couldn't remember the last time he had touched his father, they weren't the touchy-feely type of family, a clip on the back of the head, a squeeze of a shoulder, or a reassuring hold on the neck, that was the extent of the physical contact between the Winchesters. When Sammy had been younger, the smaller boy would always want hugs from Dean, but when the youngest Winchester reached the age of eight, that had started to disappear, Sammy thinking he was too big for hugs anymore and Dean couldn't remember the last time he hugged his Dad.

The bumpy exit from Bobby's driveway went unnoticed to Dean, but the sudden tightening on his hand didn't as his father's body started to tense, "He's seizing!" the one medic shouted to the other as John started to buck against the restraints, the driver relaying the information to the hospital.

"What's happening?" Dean shouted as he watched his father's eye's flutter as the older man's body continued to move involuntarily.

"His fever's too high, it's causing a seizure." The Medic reached across and pulled chilled saline from the small cooler, quickly changing the bags, then injecting an anti-seizure medication that the hospital had radioed back for him to administer.

John's body seemed to relax, the grip on Dean's hand becoming slack, this scared the boy even more, if that was possible, "Dad!"

"He's stabilizing, what's the ETA?" The EMT asked the driver, placing a few ice packs on the unconscious man's chest and near his neck.

"About eight minutes." Was the reply from the driver as the vehicles speed increased just a little more.

Oxoxoxoxox

When Jim and Bobby arrived at the hospital, just a few minutes behind the ambulance, they rushed in expecting to see Dean, but the boy was nowhere in sight. Quickly approaching the desk the Pastor questioned the nurse, "We're here for John Winchester, he was just brought in, his son Dean came in with him, can you tell us where they are?"

Grabbing the paperwork that had just been placed on her desk, she looked up at the two men before her, "The doctor's are still in with Mr. Winchester, someone will be out just as soon as they can. As far as someone coming in with him, let me go back and check, no one has come by me since he arrived." A worried glance was exchanged between the two hunters, Bobby making his way toward the waiting room, to see if maybe Dean could have slipped past the woman unnoticed, but it was empty.

The nurse reappeared just as the Mechanic returned to the desk. "If you gentlemen could follow me, we seem to have a situation." The woman's face didn't give any indication of what was going on as she turned, the two hunters close behind.

Making there way toward the one room with all the activity Jim and Bobby stepped through the door, the mass of people around John catching their attention first. Neither had ever seen so many people working on one person before. Refocusing on the nurse as she quickly led them to the other side of the room; they noticed another nurse knelling on the floor. Finally making their way around the people desperately trying to save John's life, the Pastor and Mechanic were met by a scene that sent them both back nearly ten years.

Dean was sitting on the floor, against the wall, his legs drawn up close to his body, arm's wrapped around them. His body was shaking slightly as his unfocused eyes starred in the direction of the activity in the room. From his spot there seemed to be an unobstructed view of John's deathly-pale face. Jim could hear the woman next to the boy trying to talk to him, but it was as if she wasn't there. In that moment the older man didn't see the determined fifteen-year old boy that had braved a plane ride to try and find his father, no what Jim saw was the scared five-year old who was still reeling from the death of his mother, now terrified he was losing his father.

Jim touched the nurse's shoulder, the woman stood to allow the older man access to the boy, "Dean?" Jim's calm voice seemed out of place, as the shouted orders from the doctor's working on stabilizing John continued to be heard in the back ground. "Son, can you hear me?" The Guardian remembered clearly how difficult it had been when John and the boys had first arrived at his farm all those years ago.

During those first weeks it wouldn't be surprising to find the small boy, sitting just like this in the corner of a room or behind a piece of furniture, staring blankly at images only he was seeing. It had worried both Jim and Mac at the time, when the child wouldn't respond, even to his father. They had all been desperate to help the small child, but it wasn't until one day when they found Caleb sitting quietly next to Dean, that they noticed the slight change in the five-year old. Caleb would never speak to Dean, just sit there with him, slowly the smaller boy started to reach out to the then thirteen-year old. It started with Caleb laying his hand on the floor between them, the child laying his smaller one on top of it. Next it was the small child's hand lying on Caleb's jean-clad leg. Then finally as the weeks pasted Dean would simply crawl into Caleb's lap, curling tight again the teen, his little hand fisted in the older boy's shirt. Eventually the episodes pasted once Dean started whispering to Caleb, disappearing all together once the child started talking to his father again. But now, Jim wasn't sure what to do, the one person that had pulled the boy from his withdrawn state back then was himself in a hospital, hundreds of mile away.

Bobby and Jim turned as the activity around them suddenly stopped, watching, they saw John quickly being wheeled from the room. It emptied of everyone except the three members of John's family and the nurse who had led them back.

_A/N: Okay, I'm back now, had a nice little vacation. I will be posting slower so I can rework the chapters I have written, so they flow better. Again I'll state that I know nothing about medical procedure, I don't even know if they would allow a fifteen-year olds to ride in an ambulance with a patient, but for the sake of angst I put it in. Hope you guys are still enjoying. Thanks again for all that have read, reviewed, alerted and/or favorited my story, you guys are awesome!-Montez_


	10. Chapter 10

The Way Home  
Chapter 10  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

Returning his focus to the boy before him, Jim gently reached forward, taking Dean's face between his hands, turning the boys head so that their eyes could meet. "Dean? I need you to look at me Son."

It took a moment before the unfocused expression changed and the tear-filled, moss-green eyes of the teen met the calming blue ones of the Pastor, "Jim?" Dean glanced to where his father had been only moments ago, "Where's Dad?" the boys voice hinting toward panic, "Where'd he go? Is he okay?" Dean struggled to get to his feet, faltering slightly, Jim steadying him.

"Your father's been taken to surgery." The calm sound of another man's voice brought the attention of the group to the doctor that had returned to the room.

Dean tried to pull from Jim's grip, stepping toward the physician, "Please, how is he? He's gonna be okay right?"

The doctor glanced at Jim, "Perhaps we should talk somewhere where you gentlemen can sit down, the boy looks a little unsteady."

"Just tell me…" Dean pleaded, but Jim's quiet voice interrupted him.

"Dean it would be best if you had a seat, that way we can focus on what the doctor has to say." Jim placed his hand on the teen's shoulder, steering the boy toward the door as the doctor led them to a private room across the hall.

The doctor waited a minute for the group to have a seat, before he took one across from Jim. "My name is Dr. Allen…" he then looked at Dean, "Your father has been taken up to surgery, I'm sorry to say that his condition is grave." glancing back toward Jim and Bobby the physician continued, "I understand you believe he had an accident while hiking, but somehow was able to make it back for help."

Jim nodded, "Jonathon had been missing for several hours, we'd been out looking for him and were working on calling in more help when he came stumbling down the drive at Robert's. He was unconscious before he could tell us exactly what happened."

Dr. Allen straightened some, running his hand over his face, "Well, to be totally honest with you," again the older man's gaze met Dean's, "Your father must be one hell of a fighter, because with his illness and his injuries on top of it, it's a miracle he survived the night outside."

Dean paled at the gravity of his father's condition, "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Winchester, has several broken ribs, one of which punctured his left lung, that's why we had to intubate him, on top of that he has pneumonia, which is causing him to run a temperature just below 104*, we believe that is what triggered the seizure before he arrived." Jim and Bobby quickly looked toward Dean, neither man had known that Dean apparently witnessed his father have a seizure, which would explain the condition they found Dean in when they followed the nurse back. "We are doing what we can to bring it down and honestly it is not the best conditions for him to be going into surgery with, but we need to take care of his ribs and repair the hole in his lung. His left arm is broken in two places and his shoulder is dislocated. He also has a severe concussion and there are numerous cuts and bruises covering his body. We are hoping there are no other internal injuries, but the surgeon will have more information on that once they are finished." Dr. Allen watched as the two men and teenage boy before him took in the information about their friend and father.

Dean's quiet voice sounded so much younger than his age when he spoke again, "But he's going to be okay right?" The young boy's eyes pleaded with the doctor, begging him to say that his father would survive this.

The doctor leaned forward, staring straight into Dean's face. "Son, the strength that it took for your Dad to get himself help, against all the odds, battling against his injuries, his illness and the weather, I honestly believe that if anyone can survive this it will be your father."

Dean closed his eyes, he knew the type of fighter his father was, he knew the man would never give up. The teen opened his eyes, a tear slipping free as he looked back at the physician, "If my Dad knows anything it's how to fight and not give up."

Dr. Allen nodded as he stood, looking toward Jim and Bobby, "The OR is on the third floor, there is a waiting area up there. The surgery may last several hours, but the surgeon will come out and speak with you once Mr. Winchester is in recovery."

Jim stood, extending his hand, "Thank you for everything." Dr. Allen shook the Pastor's hand and left the room. Looking at Dean, who was leaning forward, head in his hands, then back toward Bobby, the older man spoke, "I think we should head upstairs, I need to try and contact Mackland to let him know about Jonathon and see if there have been any changes with Caleb."

Oxoxoxoxox

"How in God's name did he make it back to Bobby's?" Mac asked Jim, who had called from the hospital in South Dakota to let the Scholar and John's youngest son know that the Knight had been found and was currently in surgery.

Taking a deep-breath, Jim ran his hand over his tired face, "That's the million-dollar question at the moment. However, I'm worried about Dean," Jim glanced across the waiting room; Dean was sitting in one of the chairs facing the doors that led toward the operating rooms. His legs were pulled up close, his arms wrapped around them again, his expression looked as lost and scared as when the nurse had led him and Bobby back to the trauma room. The Preacher's heart was heavy in his worry for the boy. "In the last twenty-four hours he's watched his best friend and father collapse in front of him, then having witnessed Jonathon's seizure in the ambulance, finally with everything the doctor said was wrong with Jonathon, Dean's withdrawing. Since we've come upstairs he hasn't spoken, he's fighting sleep and I'm not really sure how to get through to him."

Mac's mind flashed back to the small withdrawn boy he'd met barely ten-years ago, he remembered watching as none of the adult in the boy's life had been able to get through the self-imposed silent world the child had disappeared into. That was until his son, the same young man that now lay unconscious in a room just down the hall, had taken it upon himself to be the five-year olds life line. The Doctor remembered the first day Dean had whispered to his son, how Caleb had helped the little lost boy work through the pain of losing his mother, something the two had in common. Mac's heart ached that now, Dean had to face another heartbreaking situation and Caleb couldn't help the boy. "I'm sure you will be able to find a way to keep him grounded, Jim."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jim brought his attention back to the phone, "I hope you're right." Clearing his throat he asked the next question, his worry and fear for another young member of his family weighing heavily on his soul as well. "How is Caleb doing? Are there any change?" Jim asked quietly, praying the young man back home was better.

Glancing toward his son's room, Mac still wasn't one-hundred percent sure that what was happening with his son was related to his psychic abilities and that scared him. Though all the test had ruled out any physical reasons for his son's continued state of unconsciousness, his son's gifts weren't exactly something he could share with the doctor. The Scholar just hoped if it was his abilities keeping him this way, that Caleb would soon be able to work his way back to him. "There have been some changes, but he's still unconscious."

"What kind of changes?" The worry in Jim's voice was unmistakable.

"Well, the only good news so far is that his vitals have finally stabilized to the levels of someone who is unconscious. His last scan showed most of his brain activity has also leveled off. The injuries he sustained from the wreck are healing and the low-grade fever he was running has disappeared since his vitals leveled off. Now we are just waiting to see when he will wake up." Mac blew out a deep-breath, he was worried and exhausted, but he resisted the urge to sleep until his son was awake.

"We have to have faith that both Caleb and Jonathon will be all right and that once their conditions improve that Dean will come back to us as well." Again Jim's glance returned to the teen, whose head occasionally bobbing as he fought the rest his mind and body needed. "I'll let you get back to Caleb and I'll call as soon as we know anything else about Jonathon." Jim listened as Mac tiredly agreed, before the phone line disconnected.

Mac returned the phone to its cradle rubbing his tired eyes. He was a doctor, use to finding the problem and fixing it, but right now he felt completely useless to help either his son, who was only steps away, or the man who had become like a brother to him, who was hundreds of mile away, nor his brother's son who had again been witness to things no child should have to endure.

The tired Doctor slowly made his way back toward his son's room, which also contained John's youngest. He had to figure a way to explain to the younger boy the condition his father was in. Sammy was smart beyond his years and could always tell if someone was holding back information, so it was always best to tell the younger boy the truth rather than sugar-coat things.

Stopping at the door, Mac's thoughts returned to the statement Jim had made about having faith everything would turn out and their family would be all right. Mac would never give up on his son, and though John's injures sound as bad as they did, the older man prayed he could hold onto the faith that all would be well. It was times like these that Mac envied Jim, that with all they've seen, all the evil that they've come face to face with, that the Guardian could remain so unwavering in his faith. Yes they needed faith, especially now, but when so much of your world was crumbling around you, you wouldn't be human if you didn't question God's role in what was happening, you wouldn't be human if you didn't question just how much faith you had left to hold on to.

_A/N: I really struggled with this chapter, I'm sure I again took liberty with how the doctor was speaking to Dean some of the time, but I didn't feel right having the doctor only speak to Jim or Bobby, especially with the distress that Dean was obviously in. Hope you forgive and still enjoy. Thanks to everyone who's still with me, you guys are awesome!-Montez_


	11. Chapter 11

The Way Home  
Chapter 11  
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Six hours had passed since John Winchester had been rushed into surgery, nearly seven since the man had stumbled his way back to Bobby's salvage yard, collapsing from unknown injuries and a raging illness. During that time Pastor Jim Murphy had alternated between sitting and pacing the small waiting area outside the operating room. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since his life and those of everyone close to him were thrown into disarray.

In that time Caleb Reaves, the twenty-two year old son of Mackland Ames, who felt as much Jim's son as he was Mackland's, had come stumbling down his driveway in New Haven, collapsing from injuries sustained in an automobile wreck that was caused by a vision, a vision involving John Winchester, the Knight of the Brotherhood. They all knew what Caleb's vision could mean and time had been of the essence in trying to find the presumably injured man. It had torn at Jim's heart to leave Caleb's side, not knowing exactly what was happening with the young man, his condition remaining unstable.

Now, the Pastor looked across the quiet waiting room, taking in the form of Dean Winchester, John's eldest son and Caleb's best friend. The teen had finally succumbed to the sleep his body and mind had been craving, his head resting on his still pulled up legs. The boy had witnessed his best friends collapse, literally catching the injured man before he hit the ground, hearing the broken pleas that John was in danger. The teen had put aside his fear of flying, insisting that he go with Jim to South Dakota to help locate his father. Then the younger boy again had to witness someone he loved collapse, as an injured and sick John made his way down the driveway leading to Bobby's. On top of all that, while in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Dean witnessed his father have a seizure, brought on by the raging fever that was consuming his body.

Over the last six hours Jim had watched as the fifteen-year old continued to slowly withdraw into himself, not speaking, barely eating and that only after Bobby had threatened to force feed him. It was killing the older man that he didn't know how to stop the boy's withdrawal, but Mackland had called it a self-defense mechanism, it was Dean's way of protecting himself from the emotional devastating situation that the young boy found himself, but that didn't make Jim feel any better.

Jim turned when he heard the doors that lead to the operating theater open, a tired looking man in scrubs was walking toward them. The Pastor quickly made his way toward Bobby, who had his head back, softly snoring, "Robert," Jim shook the man's shoulder.

The Mechanic straightened quickly, adjusting his hat, "Jim?"

"Doctor's here." The older man then made his way to Dean, gently taking a hold of the boy's arm, giving it an easy shake, "Dean?" The boy immediately jumped, coming more alert than any person had a right to be after just waking up, his scared, moss-green eyes met Jim's, "The doctor's here Son."

The teen pushed himself up, standing as he ran his hand over his exhausted face, turning his attention to the man standing quietly at the entrance of the room, "How's…" Dean cleared his throat, "How's my Dad?"

"Please have a seat." The doctor motioned toward the chairs, himself needing to sit his exhausted body down, "My name is Dr. Whitman, first of all your father did make it through surgery." The doctor watched relief pass over the young boys face, as it did over the two older men's faces as well.

The Pastor reached over, placing a hand on Dean's shoulder as the weight of the world seemed to finally ease on the teen's body. "When can I see him?" Dean asked.

"It will be a couple more hours before we move him into the ICU," Dr. Whitman leaned forward, glancing toward Jim and Bobby, before returning his gaze to Dean. "Son, your dad's not out of the woods yet, so to speak. We were able to reset his ribs and fix the hole in his lung; he will be on a ventilator for at least twenty-four hours to give his lung time to heal. His arm was set and he will probably be in a cast for six to eight weeks. However, we do have two areas of major concern; the first being the pneumonia your father has, his temperature is still hovering between 103 and 104, he's on a broad spectrum antibiotic; we also have a drain in to help remove the fluid that is accumulating inside his lungs. Our other area of concern is your father's head injury, he has a severe concussion and we are monitoring him closely for any signs of intracranial pressure, do you understand what that is?"

Dean paled some at all that was wrong with John, "Yeah, that's if his brain swells." Having a world famous Neurosurgeon as a favorite Uncle had taught the teen a few things, and one of them being the swelling of your brain was bad news.

Dr. Whitman leaned back, looking at Jim and Bobby as he nodded, "Yes that's it exactly, so far we don't see any indication, but with a concussion this severe, we want to keep a close eye on things. Your father is currently in a drug induced coma, to give his body time to heal, once we pass the twenty-four hour window and if Mr. Winchester doesn't show any signs of complication, we will start to wean him off the sedative."

"Do you know when Jonathon may wake up?" Jim spoke this time, his hand on Dean's shoulder.

"As I said, we hope to decrease the sedation within twenty-four hours, after that it will be up to Mr. Winchester." The doctor stood, Dean, Jim and Bobby following, "Our ICU is on the next floor up; Mr. Winchester should be up there in about two hours, once he's situated they will allow you to visit him for a few minutes every hour." The tired man stepped toward Dean, extending his hand, "Your father's a fighter young man."

Dean straightened as he shook the doctor's hand, Jim and Bobby following suit, "The best I know." Dean answered as Dr. Whitman patted him on the shoulder, then headed back to check on his patient.

Dean stood, watching the man leave, then ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Pastor Jim took a chance and stepped up, pulling the teen into a hug. To Jim's surprise, the boy latched on to him with the same strength, "Jonathon has too much to live for to stop fighting now my boy." The hug lasted a moment longer before Dean pulled back, wiping the back of his hand over his face. "The doctor said it would be a couple of hours before you could see him," Jim looked between Dean and Bobby, "Perhaps we should find ourselves something a little better to eat than hospital food, and I'll give Mackland a call to check on Caleb and let him know about Jonathon."

Dean wrapped his arms tightly around himself, the scared, almost hallow look never really leaving his tired, green eyes. Clearing his throat the teen spoke quietly, "I need to talk to Sammy."

"Of course." Jim answered as they headed down the hallway, toward the elevators.

Oxoxoxoxoxox

It had been twenty-four hours since Caleb collapsed in Jim's driveway; it had been the longest twenty-four hours in Mac's life. Mackland Ames was a man who liked to know the answer's to anything that may be puzzling him and he would search and search until he found them, but this, this terrified him. His son was injured, though in the grand scheme of things they were minor injures, but the young man had remained unconscious.

The first hours passed with his son's vitals and brain scans showing the body's reactions as if he had been fully awake and moving around, almost as if he was training with John in the wood around Jim's. Then suddenly, a few hours ago, his vitals leveled off indicative of a person who was unconscious, his brain activity had slowed as well. However there was still no medical reason for his continued state.

Mac found himself praying for his son's golden eyes to open, that the younger man would joke with him about having better things to do than watch him sleep. But right now, that was all Mac had time to do, until his son woke up and was okay, the Scholar wouldn't leave the hospital. The Doctor had taken Sammy down to the cafeteria for something to eat and despite the way the younger boy had been acting since John had dropped him at Jim's, the youngest Winchester had taken upon himself to make sure Mac had anything he needed. The boy had done several coffee runs, tried to distract the worried Doctor with stories about the last school they had just left, the young boy rambled on about what he had learned in Science class, the cool experiments the teacher let them do. Though Mac appreciated the child's attempt to distract him, he was secretly happy when the younger boy finally dozed off in the chair on the other side of Caleb's bed.

Standing up, Mac made his way toward the window in the room, the sun had just set, the sky still showing a hint of the reds and oranges that seemed to show up in the autumn sunsets. Turning he ran his hands over his face, slowly making his way back to his son's side. As he stood next to the bed, he took a minute to look at the young man. He hadn't seen him in a couple weeks, Caleb was working on getting his place that his grandfather, Cullen, had bought him after graduating Auburn, set up. When Mac had asked him what he was planning on doing since he was finished with school, the older man worried his son would throw himself into hunting full-time like John, Caleb had been secretive, just saying he was working on something and if it worked out then Mac would find out. The Scholar had a feeling that was why Caleb had requested that his 'family' meet at Jim farm for the weekend, perhaps he was planning on letting them all know what he had been up to the last few months.

Looking at his son's lax face, the father couldn't help but to reach out and brush a stray hair from the boy's forehead. Caleb was still in a stage of keeping his hair longer than Mac liked, but it just added to his youthful appearance. However now, Caleb seemed so much younger, almost reminding him of the twelve-year old the Doctor had found in the hospital just ten short years ago. That had been the only time, up until now, that Caleb had ever looked helpless. Even when injured on a hunt the young man had an air of control about him, giving the impression that he was in control, even when he wasn't. Now, now his son looked vulnerable and that scared Mac.

The father reached over the railing, taking his son's hand knowing full well that if Caleb was awake the boy would call him on the 'chick-flick' moment that Caleb and Dean had started to refer to emotional situations as being. "I don't know what's happening with you Son and that's scaring me." Mac whispered, as he placed his free hand on his son's head. "I've tried so hard to protect you, to help you learn and deal with your abilities as they grew stronger, but this time I don't know what's going on or how to help you. I have to have faith that you will find your way back to me and together we will figure out what happened." The Doctor could feel the emotion building in his chest, that horrific feeling a parent has when something is wrong with their child and there isn't a damn thing that the parent could do, no matter how much they wanted to. "I love you Son, just work your way back to me okay?" Mac leaned over, kissing his son's forehead as he heard the hospital room door open.

The Nurse's quiet voice spoke, "Dr. Ames, you have a phone call."


	12. Chapter 12

The Way Home  
Chapter 12  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

"How's Dean handling the news?" Mac pinched the bridge of nose, Jim had just explained John's condition, the Doctor could understand his friend's doctors worry about the pneumonia and head trauma, even without the illness weakening the man his over all injuries were potentially life-threatening, throw in the sickness and the man he viewed as a Brother was literally in the fight of his life.

"He's still quiet, but at least we've gotten him to eat without Robert having to threaten him again, he also slept a couple hours, he's anguish to see his father." Jim glanced at the boy in question who was pacing the floor near the ICU's nurse's station. "He wants to talk with Samuel."

Mac motioned toward the nurse, covering the phone's hand piece, "Could you get Sammy for me? His brother wants to speak with him." The Scholar watched as the nurse nodded, going to get the younger boy, who had been asleep when Mac had left the room to take the call. "Jim, I've got the nurse getting Sammy. In a few days, once John has stabilized I can make a few calls and get him transferred to Louisville, so he will be closer to the farm. I'm also considering having Caleb transferred there if he doesn't show signs of waking soon, they have the capacity to run more detailed test, the possibility of this being tied to his abilities is still worrying me, but just to be safe I want to rule out any possible medical problems." Mac watched as a sleepy Sammy followed the nurse from the room.

"I think transferring Jonathon would be a good idea, I know Dean is very concerned about Caleb, even though he is currently focused on his father, plus he and Sammy have never been apart for this long, that's affecting him as well." The Pastor motioned for Dean to come toward the phone. "I'm going to give the phone to Dean now; I'll call again later to check on Caleb." Jim handed the phone to the teen.

"Mac?" Dean spoke quietly, the doctor hearing the exhaustion in the young boys voice, "How's Caleb?"

"He's about the same, but he's stable, next to him waking up, that's the best we can hope for at the moment. How are you doing my boy?" Mac placed his hand on Sammy's shoulder when the eleven-year old stopped next to him.

"I'm fine." Dean answered, that becoming the normal answer from the boy over the last few years, since he started hunting with his father more, John didn't respond to shows of weakness. Mac knew that even if the teen was gushing blood, 'I'm fine' would more than likely be the response so as not to worry those around him. "Is Sammy awake? I was wanting to let him know how Dad is."

"He's right here." The Doctor handed the younger boy the phone.

"Dean?" Sammy's voice sounded so young and worried to his big brother's ears, pulling at the older boy's heart that he was currently so far away from him, not able to comfort him and tell him everything was going to be all right.

"Yeah, it's me, are you being good for Mac? Helping him out and everything?" Dean put his elbows on the counter, his forehead resting on his hand, God he was tired, worried and scared, he just wanted to be back at Jim's farm, sitting down for supper with Caleb and his Dad, not standing in a hospital in South Dakota.

"I've been getting him coffee and telling him about the science experiments from school…" Sam answered his brother, then lowered his voice, "But I don't think he was really listening too much, he's really worried about Caleb, he spends all his time sitting beside him, watching him, he even reaches up and takes Caleb's hand sometimes."

Dean closed his eyes a moment, "I'm sure he wants to listen Sammy, he's just really worried, just keep trying little brother, I know he's glad you're trying to help."

The eleven-year olds voice seemed so much younger when he asked the next question, "How's Dad doing? Will you all be coming home soon?"

'_Coming home'_, the only real home they had known was Pastor Jim's, that was always the place they came back too, Dean just hoped his father and friend would be 'coming home' soon. "It's probably going to be a few days Kiddo, Dad's in kind of rough shape, he's really sick and busted up pretty good, but the doc's said he should be okay in a little while." Dean didn't have the heart to tell Sammy all the details of their father's condition; he didn't want the kid worrying himself sick.

"When you see him…" Dean could hear a little sob escape his baby brother, his attempt to not worry the kid didn't seem to be working. Sammy was the more emotional of the Winchesters, but struggled to not show it, usually failing miserably. "Tell him I'm sorry for acting like a brat lately, I haven't meant too. Can you tell him to hurry up and get better so he can come home?"

Dean felt a tear slip free at the pain he heard in his brother's voice, he knew Sammy was trying to apologize for being a prick for the last several weeks, constantly trying to start an argument with their Dad. "Yeah, I'll tell him Buddy…" Dean cleared his throat, straightening up, "Look, I need to be getting off here, they should be letting me see him soon, you listen to Mac and I'll see ya soon, okay?"

"Okay. I miss you Dean." Sammy said quietly, "Bye."

"Bye Sammy." Dean whispered back, then he handed the phone to the nurse behind the counter who gave him a sad smile.

"Dean, are you okay?" Jim had watched the array of emotions that crossed the teen's face as he talked with his little brother. The distance between them, the worry for Caleb, the fear of losing John was clearly visible.

"I just need to see Dad…" Tear-filled eye's met Jim's, as a lump formed in the older man's throat, "I need this to all be over and for us to be home, for Dad and Caleb to be home and safe." Another tear slipped free as the boy tried his best to contain them, quickly swiping his hand over his face, "I'm scared Jim, I can't help Dad, I can't help Caleb…I don't know what to do." Dean's voice cracking slightly at the end with an honesty that Jim so rarely heard.

The Pastor stepped closer, placing his hand on Dean's shoulder, "You were there for Caleb, you understood what he was saying and used that information to take some action, insisting on coming with me to help locate your father. You are here for your father, you are here to let him know there is something to keep fighting for, that is doing something. We will be home soon, all of us, you have to have faith that both Jonathon and Caleb will find their way back to us, that they will find their way home."

Silence settled between the two for a few minutes before a nurse came through the ICU doors, stepping toward them, "Mr. Winchester may have a couple of visitors now."

Dean turned to face the woman, Jim stepping up behind him, Bobby stood near the chairs a few feet down the hallway. "Can Jim and Bobby come with me?" The young boy asked, knowing the other men were worried about his father too.

The nurse glanced at the older men, "Just on this first visit I'll allow three of you back, but after that no more than two." Dean felt relief pass through him as Bobby approached the group, he wanted to see his father so bad, but was scared to death of how the man would look, the teen didn't think he could do it alone. "You'll have about ten minutes each hour to visit, for at least the next twenty-four hours, then the doctor will decide if he will move Mr. Winchester to another room. The doctor is waiting and will go over what you should expect the first time you see Mr. Winchester. If you'll follow me." The dark-haired woman turned, Dean, followed closely by Jim and Bobby fell in behind her.

As they approached another Nurse's station a man in a white coat turned and took a few steps toward them, extending his hand to Jim. "I'm Dr. Williams; I'll be Mr. Winchester's doctor while he's with us in the ICU."

Jim placed his hand on Dean's shoulder, "I'm Pastor James Murphy, a family friend, this is Jonathon's son Dean and Robert Singer another family friend. How is Jonathon doing?"

Dean watched the doctor before him; he was good at reading people, even without abilities like Caleb had. The teen was watching for any indication that he was being lied to about his father's condition. Dr. Williams glanced between Jim and Dean, "Mr. Winchester is in critical, but stable condition, his temperature has come down a little, but he is still on the ventilator and probably will be for at least twenty-four hours." Looking at Dean the doctor continued, "Your father is currently sedated to allow his body to rest and begin to heal. The pneumonia is still our biggest worry, but like I said, it's a good sign that his temperature is dropping, if only slightly."

"The other doctor said something about worrying about his brain swelling?" Dean spoke quietly, the doctor nodding.

"So far we don't see any indication of that happening, but everything is being monitored closely and we will take whatever measures we have to if something starts to present itself." Dr. Williams tried to give a reassuring smile then his face turned serious again as he again looked at Dean. "When you see your father, he may look a little scary; with all the machines we have him hooked to, but know that they are all necessary to help your father heal. He is hooked to a ventilator which is breathing for him right now, that will be the most noticeable, then there is the heart monitor. He has IV's running into the back of both hands, one for giving him blood the other for the medications that are needed to help him get better. There's also a clip on one of his fingers that is letting us know that there is enough oxygen circulating in his blood." The doctor watched as the boy before him took in the information about his father, seeming to understand what he was being told. Dr. Williams then glanced over toward Jim and Bobby, "If you have any questions, please feel free to ask one of the nurses to page me. As I'm sure the nurse mentioned, you'll have about ten minutes every hour to visit with Mr. Winchester, I ask that one of you always be with the boy when he comes back." Jim and Bobby nodded as the doctor turned, "If you'll follow me."

Only a couple steps down the small aisle in front of the desk; the doctor paused, motioning to the open glass door of the cubicle containing John. Taking a deep-breath, Dean looked at Jim, who gave a reassuring nod to the teen, then the fifteen-year old turned slightly, now standing in the doorway, looking at the still form in the bed, the still form that was his father.


	13. Chapter 13

The Way Home  
Chapter 13  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

John Winchester was an imposing man, the six-foot frame and broad shoulders of the ex-Marine gave the impression of a man who could take whatever was thrown at him. He was one of those men that when he walked into the room everyone stood a little straighter, giving him room to pass through, he had an air of confidence about him that Dean hoped he would one day possess. But as the teen took the last couple steps that fully brought him into the small cubicle his father's hospital bed was in, he felt his breath catch, dark edges played in his vision, there was no way this was his father laying in the sterile-looking bed before him.

Jim stood behind Dean, Bobby just a step back, both men were shocked to see how vulnerable John looked, so unlike the man they knew. However, both men's attention quickly went to the boy in front of them as they heard the sharp intake of breath. Even from slightly behind, Jim saw what little color Dean still had quickly leave his face as the boy's breathing became quick. Taking a step forward Jim reached for the teen just as his legs gave out, "Dean!" Bobby quickly came forward, grabbing Dean's other arm, getting the boy to the lone chair against the wall of the cubicle. Unfocused, green-eyes met Jim's as the older man knelt in front of the boy, "Dean?" The harsh breathing had Jim pushing the teen forward some, trying to get his head down, "Just breathe slowly…" Jim rubbed circles on the boy's back as Dean tried to draw in a breath.

A few tense minutes passed while Dean tried to get his breathing under control. Finally the spots in his vision receded as he was finally able to take in a lung full of air. Jim's voice sounded so distant to the boy as he closed his eyes, leaning back in the chair, his head resting against the wall. "Dean? Can you hear me?" For a moment the teen wanted to give into the exhaustion and fear he was feeling, almost willing himself into unconsciousness, but the worry in the Pastor's voice kept Dean grounded, he didn't want to add anymore burdens to the older man.

Slowly Dean opened his eye's, Jim's pale-blue eye's were filled with concern, his face creased with lines of worry , "I'm okay." Dean whispered as he looked up at Bobby, who was standing just behind Jim, worry clear on his gruff face as well. Leaning forward some the teen repeated, "I'm okay."

The Pastor noticed the boy put his hands on the arms of the chair, backing away Jim allowed the teen to push himself up into a standing position. Closing his eye's, taking a deep-breath, Dean opened them again and took the few steps needed to bring himself to the side of his father's bed. "Dad…" was the only word Dean choked out as he took in the sight of John. The teen had seen his father hurt before, he'd even kept vigil the couple times the man had been knocked out by something hurled at him by whatever they had been hunting, but he had never seen his father so injured, so sick that he needed a machine to breathe for him. Dean jumped slightly as the ventilator activated, artificially moving John's chest up and down.

The bruises that stood out against his father's pale features were an array of purples and blues, there were bandages across the gash just at the older man's hair line. The breathing tube disappeared between slightly parted lips, a weeks worth of dark whiskers accentuated the paleness of John's face. Dean's eyes traveled toward his father's chest, again the bruises were impressive in color and size, the white bandage from where they had operated to reset his ribs and repair John's lung stood out in contrast. The hunter's left arm was encased in a pristine-white cast, for a moment Dean's mind drifted to his best friend. Caleb would love nothing better than to draw some really obnoxious pictures and write something totally inappropriate on the blank canvas just to instigate the Knight.

Dean's eyes stung as he thought of Caleb, wishing so much that his friend was there with him, to tell him that everything would be alright, maybe to even ride his ass about the amount of 'chick-flick' moments he'd had since this whole ordeal had began. However, Dean knew if the twenty-two year old was with him, he'd be in the same shape, fear and worry consuming him, even as he would be trying to distract Dean from what was happening.

Slowly Dean reached forward, placing his hand over his father's. He could still feel the heat that was radiating off his Dad as the older man's body continued to fight the fever that the pneumonia had brought with it. Closing his fingers around his Dad's larger hand, the teen couldn't help but shiver as he remembered how his father's hand clinched in his as the seizure overtook him in the back of the ambulance. Slowly squeezing, Dean raised his other hand, placing it on his father's head, staring at the still features of the older man's face, "You keep fighting this Dad, I'm right here with you, don't you dare run out on me and Sammy." The teen's voice cracked as he whispered the words to his unconscious father, silently hoping they were getting through, "Sammy wanted me to tell you he's sorry for how he's been acting and that he wants you to come home soon, so please…" the emotions were getting the better of the boy as tears slipped free, landing on the pillow next to John's head, "Please Dad, I need you to get better, I can't lose anyone else." Dean's voice cracked at the end as he ran his finger's through his father's dark hair.

Jim and Bobby had stayed back, allowing Dean time with his father, as they heard the heart felt words whispered by the boy, their heart's clinched. Both men knew that behind the tough exterior the teen had been perfecting over the last several years, still lurked that scared five-year old they had met all those years ago, that same child had made a brief appearance again when they had found Dean, huddled on the floor in the trauma room. Both men had watched as the boy withdrew while awaiting word on his father, and both feared that without Caleb's help, the teen would continue to withdraw until John woke up.

The nurse stepped into the quiet room, "I'm sorry, but your time is up. You can come back again in an hour."

Bobby stepped toward the door as Jim came up next to Dean, "We need to go Son, you can come back again soon." The Pastor reached for the teen's arm as the boy did something totally unexpected, he leaned over the rail of the bed and placed a kiss on his father's forehead. Giving John's hand one last squeeze, Dean released his hold and silently left the room, Jim close behind.

Jim and Bobby watched as Dean walked back into the waiting room taking a seat near the lone window in the corner. The teen hadn't said a word to either man as they left John's side, that is what the older men worried about, it was like watching a door slam shut. The fifteen-year old was closing himself off, desperately trying to protect himself from what was happening around him. Bobby adjusted his hat as he looked at Jim. "I'm gonna head back to my place and pick-up your alls stuff, then I'll get a couple of rooms at the motel down the street, that way we'll be close by."

The Pastor rubbed his face as he glanced at Bobby, "I think that's a good idea Robert, though honestly I don't know if we'll be able to get Dean to leave the hospital until Jonathon wakes up." Jim looked back at the boy as the teen again pulled his legs up into the chair, wrapping his arms around them, laying his head on his knees as he continued to stare out the window. Bobby patted Jim's back as he turned to go, the Pastor slowly made his way across the room, taking the chair adjacent to Dean as they waited for the next fifty-minutes to pass, which would allow them another ten-minutes with John.

Oxoxoxoxo

Mac had fought sleep as much as he could, finally his mind rebelled and the older man dosed off next to his son's bed. As his subconscious took over the Scholar found himself at the one place that he had ever felt at home, Jim's farmhouse. Though Mac had lived in New York his entire adult life, it wasn't until he met Jim and came to the older mans farm that he finally felt he had come home. It was the one place he could feel at peace. The Doctor didn't know if it was the calming presence of the Pastor or the open spaces that contrasted so much with New York, but Mac really did like visiting Jim's. It had been one of the first places he had taken his foster, soon to be adopted, son Caleb. The boy had hated the farm at first, but soon found the property a calming place as well. It was Jim's that they'd come to around the anniversary of the death of Caleb's parents, during those times the teen had been more susceptible to episodes of depression. However as the years passed and the Winchester's came into their lives it was where Mac and Caleb both found their brother's in the form of John and Dean allowing new anniversaries to replace the old.

Mac was sitting on the back stairs of the farm house when he heard the screen door open, turning he was surprised to see Caleb step through, taking a seat next to him, Mac couldn't help but stare. "Take a picture Dad, it'd last longer." Caleb's cocky grin accompanied the comment.

The Doctor reached over and pulled his son to him, "God, Caleb…" The fear of his son's continued unconscious state caused tears to form in his eye's at the sound of the younger man's voice. Pulling back Mac looked at Caleb, "Are you okay?"

Caleb looked out across the farm, then back at his father. The twenty-two year old wanted to take away the fear and worry he saw in the older man's face. "I'm okay Dad."

"Does this have something to do with your abilities? Is that why you haven't woken up?" Mac kept his hand on his son's arm, needing the contact.

"Something like that. I don't exactly know how it's happening, but somehow I know there's a reason for this." Caleb wanted to reassure his father, but he couldn't tell him about helping John just yet, somehow he needed to try and figure out what happened on his own first, or at least finish what he felt he needed to do before he could wake up. "It's just going to be a little while longer, I don't know how I know, but I just do. There's something else I need to do, once that's done I should wake up. So you need to take care of yourself and stop worrying about me so much." The hint of a smile crossed Caleb's face, but it soon disappeared as tears filled Mac's eyes.

"How am I suppose to not worry, you've been unconscious for over twenty-four hours." Mac reached up and placed his hand on the side of Caleb's face, "You have no idea what it's like to watch the person you love the most in the whole world lay motionless on a hospital bed and not be able to do a damn thing about it."

The pain the younger man heard in his father's voice and felt radiate off the older man scared Caleb, "I'm sorry, I never wanted to put you through something like this, but I don't know how this is happening, only that it is and I have to ride it out before I can wake up." Caleb reached up and placed his hand over his father's, "Just know I'm okay and I love you Dad."

Mac felt a tear slip free as he stared at his son, "I love you too, Son. Just come back to me soon."

The Scholar watched as the farm started to fade around him, as did the image of his son, Caleb's voice whispering, "I will Dad, promise."


	14. Chapter 14

The Way Home  
Chapter 14  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

When Mac opened his eye's, they again fell upon the still form of his son, but overshadowing the knot of worry that had taken up residence in the pit of his stomach, the older man felt a sense of peace, of relief. He knew without a doubt that it had truly been his son that had visited him while he slept. The strong connection that they shared was as strong as it had ever been. He believed Caleb when the younger man had told him he was okay and that he would wake up soon, though he was still puzzled as to why the young psychic's abilities seemed to holding him in the suspended state. Straightening a little Mac glanced across the room and found Sammy flipping through a magazine that the Doctor had purchased for him on one of their trips to the cafeteria. Clearing his throat he watched as Sammy looked up, "How long was I asleep?"

Sammy laid his book down, standing, he crossed the room, "About four hours. Do you want some coffee?" Mac couldn't help but smile at the eleven-year old; the boy had tried so hard to be helpful.

"That sounds good, Sammy. Are you hungry? We could get something to eat if you'd like." The Scholar stood to stretch, then walked over to his son's side, again taking the younger man's hand in his, the echo of Caleb's voice repeating in his head that he was okay.

"I could eat." The young boy answered. Sammy studied Mac as he watched the Doctor. "Is everything okay Mac?"

Running his free hand over his son's dark hair, Mac gently squeezed Caleb's hand before releasing it, stepping toward Sammy. The shadow of a relieved smile crossed Mac's face as he spoke, "I believe it will be soon." Glancing back at Caleb as they reached the door, the Doctor repeated, "It will be soon." Quietly they left the room.

Ooxoxoxox

The hours had started to run together as Jim sat in the uncomfortable waiting room chair. He and Bobby had been taking turns going back with Dean when the time came for the ten minutes of visitation. To the dismay of both men the teen had remained silent. He would stand and go to the door at the appointed time, silently stand vigil at John's bedside for the time allotted, then quietly return to his chair near the window in the waiting room, resuming his closely held position, his face staring blankly at the world beyond the glass.

Mac had called several hours ago, letting Jim know about the dream he'd had. That somehow Caleb had connected to his father, letting him know it was his abilities that were keeping him in the unconscious state, but that he was okay. However positive the news had seemed, the longer the young man remained asleep, the more worried his family continued to be.

John's condition hadn't changed much, the fever was still causing the most concern as the pneumonia continued to keep a hold on the injured man. It had been eighteen hours since they had first been let back to see John, so when the doctor came out to the waiting room just before the next visiting time, Jim couldn't help but feel the dread in his stomach flair. "Pastor Murphy, can I speak with you a moment?"

The older man had caught movement out of the corner of his eye, Dean had stood, taking a few steps toward them, but the look on the doctor's face stopped the boy. "What's wrong?"

Bobby had come forward, standing near Dean as Jim responded, "Dean, just give us a minute…"

The teen took a step forward, fear clearly heard in his voice, "No, something's wrong, I can see it in his face." Bobby took a hold of the boys arm, "What is it?"

Dr. Williams ran his hand over his face; it was never easy delivering bad news, especially to a family who obviously cared a great deal about the patient in question. Blowing out a deep-breath the doctor tore his gaze away from the boy, returning it to the Pastor in front of him, "Mr. Winchester's temperature has started to increase again, we are doing everything that we can for him to try and lower it, we have switched antibiotic's in hopes that will help, but it is nearing a level that if it doesn't start going down soon could cause his vital organs to start shutting down."

Jim was stunned, there had been no indications on previous visits that John was doing anything, but slowly healing. Dean's scared, angry voice broke the silence as Bobby tightened his grip on the boys arm, "How did you miss that? You kept saying he was doing okay! How could you let him get worse?"

Jim stepped toward Dean as the teen fought the Mechanic's hold, "Dean, Son you can't lose hope, this happens sometimes, it doesn't mean…"

Pleading eye's met Jim's, "Doesn't mean what Jim? That my Dad won't die? Isn't that what he's come out here to tell us?" Tears of anger and fear filled Dean's eyes as he glared toward the doctor, "You need to fix this! You have to make him better!" Again Dean was fighting the hold that was keeping him from advancing on the man in the white coat, only now Jim had joined Bobby in their attempt to contain the boy. "He's all me and my brother have left, you can't let him…" The words got choked in the boy's throat as a sob escaped, Dean sagging in the grip of the two men he viewed as Uncles, "…He can't…"

Jim and Bobby got Dean to a chair; fear overtook the teen as he rested his elbows on his knees, his head held in his hands, his body trembling. Jim stood, running his hand through his hair as he turned, the doctor having taken a few steps closer to the group. "I'm sorry; we are doing everything we can."

The Pastor took a couple steps toward the doctor, moving him away from Dean, leaving Bobby to offer comfort for a moment. Glancing back at the slowly breaking form of the boy, Jim again faced Dr. Williams. "What are Jonathon's chances? Is there a chance the new medication will help?"

"There's always the chance, but once a person's temperature gets too high, there is also a chance of brain damage occurring. Unfortunately, once that starts things can go downhill very fast." The doctor looked toward Dean then back to the Pastor, "I never like to give up hope on my patients, but you need to understand that Mr. Winchester's son needs to be prepared for what could happen."

This was never a situation that Jim ever thought he'd find himself in, though he had always worried since the day John showed up on his door-step with two small children in tow. Hunting was a dangerous job, but John had always made sure he did everything as safe as he possibly could; he had trained his boys to protect themselves from very young ages. But now the Guardian was faced with the real possibility of not only the Brotherhood losing their Knight, but of Dean and Sammy losing their father. "Can we see him?"

"That's what I was wanting to tell you as well, I've had Mr. Winchester moved to a private room, he will continue to be monitored closely, as I said we will do everything we can to bring his temperature back down, but I was going to allow you all to come back and be with him." Dr. Williams watched the man in front of him as the older man pinched the bridge of his nose, before looking toward the boy seated a few steps away. The teen's head was still down, but the other man was meeting the Pastor's gaze, the two seemed to be silently communicating what was happening.

"Just give us a few minutes and we'll be back, I need to speak with Dean." Jim heard the doctor whisper an okay before the man turned to leave.

The question in Bobby's eyes was answered with a slight shake of Jim's head, telling the Mechanic that things were indeed going downhill with regards to the Knight's condition. Jim took a seat across from Dean, who had yet to raise his head to meet the older man's gaze. "Dean? Son I need you to look at me." The pain that met Jim was not unexpected, but took the Guardian's breath none the less. "I know things look bad at the moment, but we can't lose faith. Your father is a fighter and he will continue to fight this, you have to believe that. However you need to understand that sometimes things are beyond our control, there is only so much a body can take. They are doing everything that they can do for Jonathon, but you have to understand and prepare for what could happen." It tore a Jim's soul to have to get the boy before him to accept the fact his father could die.

"I can't…this can't be happening…" Dean whispered out, tears trailing down his face. Running his hand roughly over his face the teen moved to stand, "I need to see him, I have to tell him not to give up, to keep fighting, he'll listen to me, Sammy needs him…I…" again the words caught in the boy's throat.

Jim stood, followed by Bobby. "The doctor said we could go back and sit with Jonathon." Bobby and Jim's eye's met, the Mechanic knowing it was the doctor's way of say they weren't holding out much hope on John's recovery and were allowing his family to spend time with him. The grizzled hunter ran his own hand over his eyes, trying to rub away the stinging he was feeling. Adjusting his cap Bobby fell in behind Jim and Dean as the Pastor led the teen back to his father.


	15. Chapter 15

The Way Home  
Chapter 15  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Stepping through the door, Dean quickly made his way to his father's side, taking the man's hand in his. The boy didn't miss the increased heat radiating off John, nor the sweat-dampened hair that was plastered to his Dad's forehead. His eye's traveled to the sides of the bed, where ice packs had been placed next the unconscious man's body, the minute tremors from his body's response to the increasing fever were also noticed. "Dad? You need to keep fighting this, do you hear me? Don't you do this to me…you fight this and show that damn doctor he doesn't know what the hell he's talking about." Dean's voice cracked as he ran his hand over his father's head, "Please…I love you Dad, please don't leave me." he whispered.

"Are you going to call Mac?" Bobby asked as he looked anywhere but toward the devastated boy and the still form of his friend.

Jim watched the scene unfolding before him; he was torn between informing Mac of the change in John's condition and allowing the man to keep his focus on Caleb. "I think I'm going to wait, there isn't anything he can do at this point."

"What about Sammy?" The Mechanic couldn't imagine what the loss of his father would do to the youngest Winchester, especially if Dean withdrew completely.

"Again I believe it is best to wait, Dean should be the one to tell his brother if something happens." Jim answered, looking at the man next to him.

Bobby adjusted his cap as he finally glanced toward Dean and John, the boy having not moved from his father's side. "You do realize if John doesn't make it, we could lose Dean too."

Blowing out a deep-breath, Jim moved toward Dean, "Then let's pray that doesn't happen." The Guardian went to stand next to the teen, putting a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. Bobby again adjusted his hat and silently slipped from the room.

Dean's world consisted of listening to the ventilator breathe for his father and watching the shivers that were giving the impression that John was freezing, when in reality his body was baking from within. The teen was no longer aware of how many hours had passed since he had been told that there was a really good chance his father could die. He wouldn't allow his mind to process that information; to him it wasn't an option.

The fifteen-year old had heard Jim and Bobby come and go from the room, each man trying to talk with him, trying to offer words of comfort, but Dean's only focus was his father. Each time the nurse came in to check on John; Dean would hear them relay his vitals to either the Mechanic or the Pastor, but he wouldn't accept what they were saying, that his father's condition was slowly deteriorating. He refused to leave the room, spending hours holding his Dad's hand, trying to work through the guilt of how pissed he had been with John when the older man had left for Bobby's, silently praying he'd get the chance to apologize.

As time passed, Jim left the room to finally call Mac, Bobby headed out for another coffee run and though he had continued to fight it, sleep finally found the distraught teen, his hand never leaving his father's.

"I will never understand your need to be around this damn pond." The achingly familiar voice pulled Dean from his dark thoughts. He had found himself sitting on the bank of Jim's pond, the one place he would always go to think, the one place he could always find peace. His heart rate increasing as he watched the figure of his best friend sat down next to him.

"Damien?" Dean watched the older man sit, bumping his shoulder to show he was really there.

"Deuce, what the hell are you doing? I thought you figured out years ago that you can't hide from things, that eventually you have to deal with them." Caleb's calming voice filled Dean. The psychic had been the one person that Dean could always be honest with, that he never had to hide anything from.

Tears filled Dean's eyes, "its Dad…" He choked out, quickly rubbing his hand over his face.

"I know," Caleb reached up and put his arm around his friend's shoulders, slightly surprised when the teen leaned into him, much like he use to when he was younger. "Don't give up on him just yet, what do doctors know anyway?" Caleb was trying his best to help the boy beside him. The psychic knew how deeply Dean cared about his family, how his own existence seemed to revolve around those closest to him, especially John and Sammy.

The teen pulled back, looking into the worried eyes of his best friend, "The fever isn't letting up, they're saying if it doesn't go down, he could…" Again the words clogged his throat, he refused to speak them in fear it would make them come true. "You know what Mac always said about fever's, why he'd watch us so close when we would get sick or hurt, they're bad news."

"Yeah, and Mac always worried a little too much, remember?" Caleb needed to get Dean's thoughts away from the 'what ifs'. "Look, Johnny's not gonna run out on you guys, he's one of the most stubborn son of bitch's I know, he made it back to Bobby's right? He pulled his ass out of those woods and got help, do you really think he's gonna let this keep him from getting back to you guys, that's what kept him going, getting home to you and Sammy."

Dean was silent a minute, trying to see what his friend was trying to tell him. He turned his head to meet Caleb's gaze, his forehead pinching in confusion a minute as the words finally sunk in, "How'd you know he made it to Bobby's?"

'_Damn the kid is sharp,' _Caleb thought, unable to hide his surprised expression fast enough, the younger hunter knew he had somehow helped John, but didn't understand how. The twenty-two year old quickly stood, moving toward one of the tree's that lined the pond, "He was near Bobby's for that hunt, where else would he have showed up?"

Dean stood, following his friend, "You were there?" things started to click in Dean's mind. At Jim's, before he knew for sure it was Caleb he'd seen, something told him, screamed to him it was his best friend. Thinking back, it was a similar feeling he had as he noticed movement in Bobby's driveway, just before his father came into view. Though he wasn't psychic, he seemed to always have a connection to Caleb, could always tell when his friend was close by, even without seeing him. It had helped on the few hunts they had been on together; Dean could always pin-point where Caleb was. "You helped Dad get to Bobby's. How?"

Running his hands through his hair, Caleb turned back toward Dean, "I'm not sure…" He could never lie to Dean; the kid had a sixth sense about stuff like that, could pick-up on a lie before the person even spoke it. "I remember the vision and thinking no one was going to be able to find Johnny in time. I remember trying to get you and Jim to understand me before everything went black. Next thing I knew I was in the woods looking down at Johnny. I knew I had to get him out of there; it would have taken too long for anyone to find him. Once I got him close to Bobby's I could sense you there, I knew I had gotten to him in time, that Johnny would be okay."

"But he's not." Dean's voice became quiet again, his thought's returning to his father as the man continued to fight for his life.

Caleb stepped forward, taking a hold of Dean's shoulders, "Don't say that. You and Sammy are what got him through those woods, got him past the pain. Wanting to get back to you boys kept him putting one foot in front of the other, I wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing if he hadn't been willing to fight, so don't you dare give up on him now."

Dean angrily pushed Caleb's hands away, taking a step back, "I would never give up on my family!"

Clearing his throat Caleb attempted to change the tone of the conversation, fear and worry turning their emotions toward anger "Good to know Deuce, since you got a little brother getting ready to hit those dreaded teenage years." Caleb gave a mock shiver, "You've been a pain in the ass, and from what I've heard Sammy's already starting, give it some time, you'll probably want to lock him in Jim's basement soon."

Dean couldn't help the laugh that escaped, "Not likely, I'll just do what Dad does with me, dump him on you when he becomes a problem."

Caleb barked out a laugh as well, "Dude, I've already full-filled my 'big brother' duty putting up with your smart-ass mouth, Sammy's all yours."

The fifteen-year old's eyes took on a serious look as he stepped back toward his 'big brother'. "I'm always gonna need you man, don't you run out on me too, you got that. I need my brother too." Tears again filled Dean's eyes, but never fell as he remembered the still form of his friend laying in the hospital bed back in Kentucky.

Caleb's own throat clogged as the raw emotion he saw reflected in the moss-green eyes of his friend gripped his soul, "Big brothers never desert their little brothers…" The psychic took a hold of the back of Dean's neck, giving it a gentle squeeze, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?" Dean pleaded. His voice sounding more like the five-year old Caleb first met, then the teenager before him.

"I promise." Caleb closed his eye's a minute, shaking his head slightly, before opening them again, "But right now Johnny needs you. It's time to wake up Deuce."

In a flash the farm and his best friend, his brother, had disappeared, Dean's eyes snapped open as alarms started sounding in the room.


	16. Chapter 16

The Way Home  
Chapter 16  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

"My God…" Were the only words Mac's numb mind could relay. Jim had just told him that the doctor's weren't holding out much hope for John's recovery; his temperature continuing to climb. The Scholar leaned against the counter, his hand going to his face as his eye's closed, _'this can't be happening', _played in silent mantra in his head. "My God, Dean." The Doctor's normally fast mind was having a problem processing that his brother could be dying, but the thought of Dean having to witness his father dying was tearing at his soul.

Jim was silent, giving the man on the other end of the phone time to come to grips with what was happening to their small, unconventional family. Mac already knew the answer, but needed to ask the question anyway, "How's Dean dealing with the news?"

The Pastor blew out a deep-breath; Mac could visualize the older man running his hand through his nearly gray hair. "He hasn't spoken since we found out, he's refused to leave Jonathon's side, he won't eat and he's been fighting sleep. However, his body finally won out and he fell asleep about a half an hour ago. I fear we're losing Dean along with his father."

Mac knew how true that possibility was, as much as it had pained the Doctor, he had learned over the years that Dean had somehow tied his self-worth to his ability to protect his family. The Scholar had witnessed first hand the guilt that overtook the teen when something happened to John or especially Sammy, when Dean felt he should have somehow seen it coming and stopped it. Whenever John had been hurt on a hunt or Sammy had ever been sick Dean would shutdown to where his only focus was taking care of his family, usually at the expense of himself. Mac had even noticed that when it came to Caleb, though the teen was eight-years his son's junior, the boy would feel personally responsible if Caleb got hurt on a hunt, whether Dean was involved in it or not.

Jim's voice brought Mac from his worried thoughts, "I think it's best to keep the news from Sammy for now, if the worst happens…" The sudden sound of a buzzer activating at the nurse's station that Jim was near brought a surge of panic through both the Guardian and the Scholar.

"Jim, what's going on?" Mac could clearly hear the buzzing and the sound of people moving quickly in the background, "Jim?"

The Pastor watched as Dr. William's and several nurses' converged on John's room, "Nonono," Jim whispered, "It's Jonathon's room, I need to go." With that Mac was greeted with a click as the line disconnected.

Pulling the phone from his ear, Mac just looked at it; '_this can't be happening'_ was all he continued to think as his heart rate increased, a complete feeling of uselessness overwhelming him. Mac took a deep-breath as he placed the phone back in its cradle, the Doctor needed a few moments to school his emotions, he needed to be strong for Sammy now, the younger boy could not be told of his father's condition just yet, especially with Dean so far away and unable to comfort him. The Scholar tried to process that there could have been any number of reason's that the alarms started sounding, but the doctor in him kept reminding him that it was never a good sign when it happened in the ICU.

Rubbing his hands over his face, Mac took another deep-breath. However his attention was pulled back to the nurse's station as the young woman got up from behind the counter and raced down the hallway. A flashing light caught the older man's attention for just a moment before he too turned and ran down the hall. The room-light flashing was Caleb's.

Ooxoxoxox

Flames shot up the wall, consuming the curtains as Caleb tried to focus on the figure standing in the middle of the room. The pure panic that radiated off his mentors face caused Caleb's heart to race, "JOHNNY!" the younger man yelled over the roar of the fire around them. "JOHN!"

Terrified eye's met the Psychic's as John turned, "I CAN'T FIND THEM!" John yelled, his eye's frantically searching the room. It was only then that Caleb noticed it was a room that looked like the countless motel rooms the Winchester's had frequented over the years. "DEAN! SAMMY!" John's voice yelled as he turned again, trying to find his son's. "CALEB I CAN'T FIND THEM!"

Something in Caleb's mind remembered that John had been sick, burning up with a fever when he had left him at Bobby's, the young Psychic finally understanding that with the fever tearing through his mentor's body, his mind would believe he was burning, but his need to protect his son's would still be fighting through the inferno raging around him, through him.

"THEY'RE NOT HERE JOHNNY!" Caleb yelled again as the bedding exploded into flames, causing the younger man to throw up his arm in an attempt to shield himself, he could feel the sweat starting to pour off his brow and down the back of his neck.

"I LEFT THEM HERE, I CAN'T FIND THEM! SAMMY! DEAN!" Again panic was taking over the Knight's fever-ravaged mind.

As the second bed exploded, Caleb knew he had to get John out of this room or they both were gonna die. "JOHNNY, LOOK AT ME!" John turned toward his protégé as part of the ceiling started to come down behind him. "DEAN AND SAMMY ARE SAFE! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Caleb turned and saw the unmarred door behind him; he needed to get John out that door, now.

"ARE YOU SURE? I DON'T REMEMBER!" John's panicked voice wanted to believe the young man before him, but he needed to see his son's to be sure.

Motioning for John to come toward him as another piece of ceiling dropped, "I SWEAR JOHNNY, THEY'RE SAFE, I WOULDN'T LIE TO YOU ABOUT THAT! NOW MOVE IT OLD MAN!" Caleb remembered the 'old man' comments had kept John riled as they made their way toward Bobby's, he prayed they'd get his mentor in gear now.

John saw the determination in Caleb's face, he trusted the young man with his son's lives, with his life. If Caleb said the boys were safe, then the Knight knew it was true. But as John started making his way toward the Psychic another section of the ceiling came down, catching him across the back, knocking him down, his leg getting pinned beneath the debris. "JOHN!"

Caleb saw the section fall and lost sight of his mentor for a moment as hot sparks shot up into the air, when it cleared John was struggling to pull himself free, "JOHN!" Racing forward Caleb leapt over the burning beam, trying to lift it off John's leg, "UGH! SHIT!" He growled out as he struggled to lift the flaming material. Raising it slightly Caleb could see John working himself out from under it, once the older man was clear, Caleb dropped it and rushed to John's side, "CAN YOU STAND?"

The Knight had already made it to his knees as Caleb helped him the rest of the way to his feet, "THE BOY'S?" Again John needed to see them.

"THEY'RE SAFE. LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Caleb threw John's arm over his shoulder, grabbing the back of the older man's jacket. Looking up he could barely see the doorway through the flames that had nearly consumed the room, _'now or never'_, the Psychic thought. Without waiting for a reply from his mentor, Caleb drug them both across the burning carpet, jerking the door open as the rest of the ceiling came crashing down.

Oxoxoxoxox

Just as Mac burst into his son's room he saw the nurse hit the button on the wall, alerting the other nurse's on the floor, as well as the attending doctor that she needed help. The older man caught sight of Sammy backed against the wall, fear clear on his face, but the Scholar's attention was brought to his son as machines started beeping. Caleb's heart rate had increased again; sweat had broken out on the young man's face, plastering his hair to his forehead, his breathing coming out rapid and harsh. The doctor rushed into the room as did some other nurses "What's happening?" the doctor asked as he neared the bed, taking the stethoscope, placing it Caleb's chest.

Mac was transfixed by his son's state; his eye's going from Caleb's sweat cover face to the monitors that continued to beep erratically. The Scholar watched as an oxygen mask was quickly placed on his son's face, and his blood pressure was taken. Making his way to the side of the bed, Mac reached out taking his son's hand, an unmistakable heat seemed to be radiating off him as the nurse told the doctor Caleb's temperature, 104 and rising.

"What?" Mac looked up at the doctor, the poor man had been perplexed by Caleb's condition since the start, the unsure expression that greeted Mac's gaze didn't offer any comfort.

"I don't understand it; I don't know what's happening." The younger doctor turned to the nurse, relaying orders to try and treat the symptoms that were presenting themselves.

Mac gripped Caleb's hand tighter as he leaned over his son, "You told me you were okay, you promised you'd come back to me. Damnit Caleb, fight this. I can't lose you Son, please." Tears filled Mac's eyes as his son's body started to shake from the rapidly increasing fever. Suddenly Caleb stiffened in the bed, his hand contracting in his father's as his body was racked with a fever-induced seizure, then as quickly as it had started his son's body suddenly stilled, "Caleb!" Mac yelled as the room went silent.


	17. Chapter 17

The Way Home  
Chapter 17  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Jim rushed into John's room behind the doctor's and nurse's, the sight before him froze him in place. John's body was arching off the bed, his legs and arms jerking, the heart monitor screaming at the too rapid heart rate it was registering, the ventilator making a clicking sound that told those in the room it was being of no use giving the patient it was connected to the adequate amount of oxygen. But through the chaos the Pastor saw Dean's form, next to the bed, trying to hold his father's shoulder down in an attempt to still the thrashing. Bobby came bursting in the door; his eye's going from John and the people surrounding him to Jim, "What happened?"

The Guardian could do nothing but watch and shake his head, "I don't know…" the older man whispered as the room suddenly went silent.

"I need a crash cart now!" the doctor yelled as a nurse attempted to pull Dean away from his father.

"NO!" the teen yelled, jerking from her grip, his hand grabbing his father's, "God Damnit Dad! Don't do this to me, you fucking fight this you selfish bastard, don't you run out on me! DAD!" Jim and Bobby quickly moved forward as they saw the doctor preparing to start resuscitative measures on the Knight.

"Dean!" Jim wrapped his arms around the boy, Bobby attempting to break the grip the teen had on his father, "Dean let go so they can help him! Now Dean!" The Pastor rarely raised his voice to the boys, even when he should have, he was normally the perfect, indulgent Uncle, but Jim knew if John had any chance at all, Dean needed to be pulled back.

"Let me go! Get the fuck off me!" Dean struggled and fought the hold on him, never realizing it was Jim and Bobby this time instead of some nurse. Grabbing the boy around the waist as Bobby broke the teen's hold on John; the Guardian pulled the boy back until his back hit the wall.

"Dean! Stop it Son, Stop!" Jim yelled into Dean's ear as the struggle continued. Jim knew the only thing saving them from the boy hurting either Jim or himself was the fact Bobby had grabbed both of the boy's hands when he started swinging.

"Damnit boy stop!" Bobby finally barked in the boys face. Dean stilling almost instantly as it finally registered who had a hold of him.

"Bobby?" The fight left the teen as he heard the doctor yell 'clear', "No…Dad!"

Jim felt Dean sag in his arms at the doctor's shout, slowly releasing the boy, Jim kept a hand wrapped around the teen's arm as another 'clear' was called out and they watched John's body arch from the current that was trying to restart his heart.

"Dad, no…" Dean whispered as he attempted to take a step forward, Jim's arm and Bobby's body blocking his way, "no."

"I got something!" One of the nurses shouted out, all eyes going to the small green-hued screen as one blip peaked, then another and another, a rhythm returning.

"Mr. Winchester, can you hear me?" The three heard the doctor say, "I'm going to take this tube out so it's easier for you to breathe okay?"

At the doctor's words, Jim released his hold of Dean, the boy making his way back toward his father. Nearing the bed a sob escaped him as he noticed his father's eye's blink. "Dad?" The reaction was immediate as John's head turned toward the sound of his son's voice. Covering the last couple steps quickly Dean grabbed his father's hand and this time, his father gripped his son's hand back.

"Mr. Winchester, I need you to try and cough, so I can get this out okay?" John's subtle nod told the doctor he understood, "On three… one, two…three." It was a gag more than a cough, but it did the trick and the physician removed the breathing tube that was no longer needed.

Once the tube was out, John took in a hitched breath, followed by another, slowly his breathing evened out as the nurse placed an oxygen mask over the older man's face, while Dr. Williams starting to check over his patient. John's pain-filled brown eye's met his son's tear-filled green ones as the boy placed his hand on his father's head, "Dad, Can you hear me?" Dean's voice broke with emotion.

John closed his eyes, tears escaping; slowly he reopened them, giving his son a small nod, weakly squeezing his hand, "D…"

"Don't talk, just rest now." Dean leaned down and kissed his father's forehead, running his finger's through the older man's hair, "I got you back now, just rest, I'm not going anywhere."

John could see the tears trailing down his son's face, feeling a couple drip on his own face as he felt his son kiss his forehead. It tore at John's heart the pain and fear he saw reflected in the moss-green gaze, but he couldn't help drawing in a deep-breath of relief. Caleb had told him his son's were safe, and even though he didn't see Sammy, if Dean was here then Sammy was safe as well. Raising his hand slightly, John brushed a tear from his son's cheek as the boy again gripped John's fingers tightly. "L…v…y…o…" John mumbled from behind the mask as he tried to convey how he felt about his son, they were words spoken to rarely, but he needed the boy to know.

The instant a relieved smile crossed his son's tear-stained face John knew Dean understood what he was saying, again running his hand through his father's hair, the boy replied with a broken voice, "Love you too Dad." John felt the hint of a smile cross his own face, as his body gave in to the exhaustion he was feeling. The comfort of his son by his side allowed him to drift into a restful, healing sleep.

Oxoxoxoxox

Mac was sure the last two days had taken twenty years off his life, as he sat with his head in his hands going over the events that had transpired over the forty-eight hour period. The fear that had gripped him when he found his son unconscious in Jim's driveway was like nothing he had ever felt, it was a breath-stealing type of fear that had nearly paralyzed him. But the events of six hours ago brought a new, earth-shattering terror as he watched the heart monitor attached to his only son flat-line. Mac's world stopped at that moment as the whine of the machine screamed at him that he had lost his son.

In that moment Mac could clearly remember his son visiting him in his dream. Reassuring the older man that he was okay and would soon return to him, that somehow his abilities were keeping him unconscious for reason's neither seemed to understand. Over the hours that followed, up until the moment his son's heart stopped Mac had held on to those assurances, but in one life-stealing moment that assurance was shattered.

Emotions, the likes of which the Scholar never knew he possessed took a hold of his soul. The utter despair that filled him as he watched the doctor attempt to restart his son's stilled heart, told Mac that he may not survive if his son didn't. For sixty long seconds the father had watched as his son's doctor started resuscitative measures to bring back a life that was being stolen away too soon.

In those sixty seconds the last ten-years of his life flew before the Psychic's eyes, from the day he had found the comatose boy, strapped to a bed in a Psychiatric Hospital, to the day he had formally adopted the troubled teen. The trials and tribulations that followed as Caleb learned to accept that there were actually people in this world that cared about him, that loved him. The pride Mac felt as he watched his son graduate high school, then just a few months ago college. Mac had wanted so much for his son, but as the young man's body arched on the bed the Doctor saw the future shattering before him.

Now, Mac closed his eyes as he listened to the steady breathing coming from the bed beside him. A sound he had feared had been lost to him forever over those seconds that seemed like a life-time. Rubbing his hands over his face the older man again wiped away the tears the seemed to be a steady stream as shadows of a fear he prayed he would never feel again, still played in his mind.

The Scholar glanced across the room; Sammy was curled up in a chair, finally allowing sleep to claim him. Mac didn't miss the effect those sixty seconds had caused on the youngest Winchester. The boy had grown quiet, his smaller hand reaching for Caleb's more than once over the past six hours, like the child needed the reassurance only physical contact could bring. The older man understood that as he found himself reaching toward his son more, running his hand through his sleeping son's hair, squeezing his hand in hopes for a squeeze in return.

But now, his eyes closed again, Mac allowed the steady breathing reaffirm that Caleb was still with him, though he hadn't woken up yet, the constant rhythm kept the specter of loss at bay.

"Dad?"

The whispered word had Mac's head jerking up as his grey eye's met the golden gaze of his son's. "Caleb?" the older man stood, taking the step that brought him to his son's side, grabbing the younger man's hand, the squeeze he had been praying for finally returned. "Thank God…" Mac ran his hand through his son's hair as he leaned down, kissing the younger man's forehead, pulling back to look into the boys open eye's.

Caleb saw fear, pain, worry and relief all reflected in his Father's watery gaze. He watched as tears slipped from the older man's eyes as he felt tears fill his own, "What happened?" Caleb whispered as he heard a sob escape his Dad.

"What do you remember?" Mac asked quietly as emotions caused his voice to crack.

Mac's hand still rested on Caleb's head as he watched the younger man close his eye's a minute, a tear slipping from the side as he opened them again, fear flashing in the gold orbs, "Johnny!"

Caleb attempted to sit up, Mac's strong arm on his shoulder held him in place, "John's okay, Son. He's in a hospital near Bobby's place, we're working on getting him transferred to Louisville, but he's okay."

A visible weight seemed to be lifted from Caleb as he again closed his eyes, bringing a hand to his face. "Deuce?" The young psychic looked around the room; his gaze landing on Sammy's sleeping form, then quickly returning to his father.

The Doctor could see his son fighting the sleep his body needed to recover from all that had happened, but he knew the younger man wouldn't give in until he knew his family was safe. "Dean's with his father, he's okay too." Mac reached up and wiped another tear that escaped his son's eyes as they blinked heavily. "You need to rest now, we can talk more later."

Nodding slightly Caleb closed his eye's, comforted by his father's presence, feeling the pull of sleep the young man whispered, "Love you Dad."

Mac chocked back another sob as he heard the quiet words of his son. Running a soothing hand over Caleb's forehead, the older man whispered back, "I love you too, Son."


	18. Chapter 18

The Way Home  
Chapter 18  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

The chill of the late October wind caused the three people standing just outside the ambulance bay of Baptist Hospital in Louisville to pull their jackets closer. Mac stood just behind Sammy as another gust blew along side the building; the younger boy had been bouncing since yesterday when all the arrangements had been finalized to finally bring John to a hospital in Louisville. The Scholar had watched how the last few days had affected the youngest Winchester, between his father being missing then severally injured and gravely ill, to the separation from his big brother Dean, who had never been away from the smaller boy overnight, to the eleven-year old having to witness what had happened to Caleb, the Scholar was still amazed at the resilience of the child as they awaited the arrival of the ambulance carrying John from the airport.

The older man then glanced to his right as he took in the form of his twenty-two year old son. It had been four days since the near-tragic events that had threatened to take two members of their close-knot, though unconventional family, away. It had been just two days ago that Mac had lived through the worst sixty-seconds of his life, in that one minute the Doctor had watched his son die. But looking at him now, a little battered and bruised, his arm gingerly wrapped around himself in an attempt to alleviate some of the pain from his cracked ribs, Mac couldn't help but smile, his son was alive and on his way to a full recovery.

The sound of a vehicle approaching the hospital brought Mac's attention to the reason they were standing in the cold wind. The ambulance pulled into the bay as a dark sedan continued on, turning into the nearby parking lot. Mac placed his hand on Sammy's shoulder, preventing the younger boy from rushing forward as the driver rounded the back, pulling the doors open. "Dean!" Sammy shouted as his big brother jumped from the back, the older boy shooting his little brother a huge smile, then the fifteen-year old turned his attention back to the rig as a stretcher was pulled from the back, containing John Winchester. Mac felt the eleven-year old slip from his grip as he moved forward, "Dad!"

John turned toward the sound of his youngest son's voice, "Hey ya Sammy." John responded, with a small wave, as the boy reached the stretcher, grabbing his father's hand. John's voice was rough from the pneumonia he was still fighting, even though his fever had broken two-days ago,

Dean put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "Let them get Dad in out of the cold Sammy."

With a quick squeeze John released his son's hand as the medics wheeled him into the hospital, Jim making his way to the group as they started to follow. Sammy pulled on Dean's arm as they headed in, "I'm glad you're back."

Dean could see the fear and worry that still clouded the younger boy's face, it was another thing that had ate at the fifteen-year old for the last four days, not being around to comfort his little brother through all that had happened. Pulling the smaller boy to him, he gave Sammy a tight hug, "So am I Sammy, so am I." releasing Sammy, the child bound forward, making his way toward Jim and Mac, who were following closely behind John's stretcher, Mac talking with the doctor who had met them inside.

The teen watched his brother enter the building, then his eye's fell on the person standing off to the side of the doors. The sight of his best friend standing there staring at him nearly took Dean's breath. He had been so afraid that night when he had felt the older man collapse in his arms that somehow his family was being slowly taken from him. Though he had spoken to Caleb on the phone the day before, seeing the twenty-two year old in front of him caused all the emotions that had been warring inside to slowly come to the surface, causing his eye's to fill with tears. "Damien?" Dean whispered.

Caleb had stood back as the ambulance pulled in, his body still aching from his wreck, still tired from whatever his abilities had put him through, but like with Mac and Sammy, he needed to see John with his own eye's to know his mentor was alive and getting better. But more than his needed to see the older man, Caleb needed to see Dean. Once Mac had filled him in on all that had happened over the two days he had been unconscious, Caleb was overwhelmed with concern for his friend, his brother. Part of Caleb's mind could remember visiting the teen at Jim's pond, trying to reassure the kid that everything would be okay. During that time he could sense the barriers that the boy had started building, trying to keep his emotions pushed away, trying to deal with an overwhelming situation like he had when he was younger, by withdrawing into himself. However, standing here now, looking at the figure of his best friend, Caleb couldn't help but see that five-year old that needed reassuring that everything was okay, that someone was there to help him through what had happened. "Hey Deuce." Caleb choked out as the teen's emotions clashed with is own.

In that instant, when he heard Caleb call him 'Deuce', all the feelings that had barely been held together gave way and the teen rushed toward his friend, wrapping his arms around the older man's back, a feeling of peace replacing the fear as he felt as his brother's arms closed around him.

When the kid moved forward, Caleb took a step, the need to protect the broken boy before him resounding more than ever through the Psychic's soul as the boy's arms wrapped round him. Caleb winced slightly at the pull of his ribs, but it was worth it, if he could bring some peace to his friend. Wrapping his arms around the boy he could feel the shivers as Dean's emotions took over and he felt the boy sob against him. "I got ya Deuce, I got ya." Caleb whispered as he placed his chin on top of Dean's head.

Jim had stopped just inside the doors when he noticed that Dean and Caleb didn't enter behind them. Once John's fever broke after those heart stopping minutes, during which time they feared they had lost the Knight and Dean had lost his father, through the reassurances from the doctor's that John was on his way to a steady, slow, but full recovery. Then finally hearing Dean talk with Caleb on the phone the night before, Jim knew they were slowly getting Dean back from his self-imposed shutdown. But seeing the strong-willed boy move quickly toward the comfort only his best friend, his brother, could give him, Jim couldn't help but smile, Dean would be okay, they all would be okay.

Oxoxoxoxox

John hated hospital more than anything, but with everything that Mac explained had transpired over the last several days, the Knight decided to not fight his friend on making him stay a few more days once he arrived in Louisville. The last two day's had been hazy for the older man, the only constant that he had been able to grasp was the fact his Son had been by his side each and every time he had opened his eyes.

Watching his son sleep now, brought some comfort to John, especially now the Sammy was within his sight as well, curled next to his brother, both boys sleeping on the small couch in the hospital room. The fear he remembered waking up with two days ago as his fever broke in the most dramatic fashion, tore at every fiber of his being, he recalled standing in one of the ratty motel rooms as the place was consumed by fire, all to reminiscent of Sammy's nursery the night Mary had been stolen from him, desperately searching for his children. Panic had gripped him when he couldn't find them, However, just like in the woods days prior, Caleb was standing in the room with him, reassuring that his son's were safe and that they needed to get out of the burning structure. John had remembered Caleb reaching for the door before his world went dark.

Once being pulled back into the light it was his eldest broken voice that grounded him as he turned his head, seeing the devastated boy coming toward him. When Dean's warm hand took a hold of his, John knew in that moment he was going to be okay, that he had made it out of the fire, that he later learned was a life-threatening fever, brought on more from the pneumonia he had been ignoring, than the injuries he had received from his fall. In the moment of peace his son's presence brought him, John vowed to himself to never ignore another illness or injury, if for nothing else than to keep the look of heartbreaking loss from his son's green eyes.

"We scared the hell out of him." The quiet voice of Caleb drew John's attention away from his son's, to the dark-haired hunter sitting on the other side of the room.

"Yeah, Jim and Mac told me what happened." John stared at his protégé as the kid shifted, his arm still held close, protecting his hurting chest. "I just don't understand it though…you were with me, I'm sure of it, but that's not possible is it?" The Knight had been confused by what his two friends had said happened, especially about the fact that the entire time John had not only been missing, but unconscious in the hospital, Caleb had been in a similar state.

Caleb stood, making his way slowly to John's beside. "I don't really know how to explain it." The younger man sat on the edge of the bed, "I remember the vision, it hit me without any warnings like I would normally have, that's how I managed to wreck my Jeep." Caleb grinned slightly at his mentor, "I hope you can fix once you're up and moving around"

"I've tried for years to get you to take an interest in taking care of that vehicle, but you continue to treat it like shit and expect me to work miracles." John glanced toward his son's again, "Maybe you and Dean can have a go at it, I can supervise." A hint of a smile crossed John's face.

"More like order." Caleb mumbled as a serious look returned to his face. "I don't fully understand how I was with you in those woods, I just remember thinking as I made my way to Jim's that I had to get to you. When I could only get out that I had a vision about you before everything went black, my only thought was nobody was going to reach you in time." Caleb cleared his throat as emotions started to clog it, even in his unconscious state he could remember the feeling that John was slipping away from them.

"I would have died in those woods if your abilities hadn't triggered that little out of body visit." The truth of what John said seemed to finally settle in the two men. "Then again in that motel room, that was my fucked up minds way of dealing with the fever that nearly killed me. I don't know how to thank you."

Caleb was a little taken back by John's sentiment; the man was rare with praise and even rarer in showing appreciation. But at the same time Caleb didn't know if it was really warranted, since it was his subconscious that did all the work that his physical body couldn't. "It was you." John said quietly, as if he could now read minds, seeing the hint of doubt that the young psychic felt as to whether he had actually been able to control his abilities or not. "You said you were the only one who could reach me in time. I felt you, as solid as you are now as you drug my ass out of those woods. Whether you think you were in control or not, I totally believe you were, it was you." In a rare move, John reached out and gripped the younger man's arm, "You saved my life and I won't forget that."

"It was just as much you as me…" Caleb glanced toward the sleeping Winchester boys, "You wanted to get back to them…" Again the young man remembered feeling the fear that John had of leaving his boys, it had been the focusing point that had propelled the sick and injured man to keep placing one step in front of the other, even when John realized how gravely injured and sick he had become.

"Let's not forget that you need someone to stay on your ass, to keep you focused on hunts, since you get distracted so easily." John repeated one of Caleb's masked pleas that kept the Knight going over those traitorous hours as they made their way toward Bobby's.

Caleb saw the break in the emotion filled room that both men needed, "Damn straight." The twenty-two year old smiled as he felt John squeeze his arm again, this had been one of the times that Caleb didn't feel his abilities had been a curse, they had helped save his family this time, not just John, but as the Psychic looked over at his best friend again, he knew it had saved Dean as well.

"But don't think I've forgotten about the 'old man' comments you seemed to like throwing around, I think some extra sparing lesson's will be in order once I'm one hundred percent again." Again the hint of a smile that John so rarely showed, shined in the older man's eyes as Caleb let out a groan-laced laugh.

"Yes, sir." Caleb would take whatever John threw at him because at least the man was still there to throw it.


	19. Chapter 19

The Way Home  
Chapter 19  
Disclaimer: see chapter 1

_A/N: Okay, it's a two for one day, two chapters for the price of one. I'm nearing the end of my little story, only a couple more chapters to go and I'm angish to see what you guys think, so I'll probably post the last two chapters tomorrow. This has been another labor of love, Brotherhood style. You guys have been amazing, I appreciate the support, alerts, favorites and reviews, many have helped shape this story. I am grateful for those of you who took the time to read my little story even if you didn't review, the fact you guys were out there counted. Thanks for the support and hopefully we'll be concluding this little adventure tomorrow. Now on with the show!-Montez_

"Are they asleep?" Jim asked as Caleb made his way into the kitchen. The younger man slowly walked over to the coffee maker pouring a cup before taking a seat with his father and the Pastor at the table.

"Yeah, didn't take much for Sammy now that his brother's back, Deuce kept fighting it though." Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose, his body and mind still tired for his ordeal.

"You all right Son?" Mac asked, reaching across the table, touching his son's wrist. Caleb hadn't missed how his father had seemed to increase the physical contact between them, whether a pat on the back, squeeze of his shoulder, or a light touch on his arm. The young psychic knew that what he had been through had terrified his father, especially when his heart had stopped, Caleb had felt the absolute fear his father had felt, even hours later when he had finally woken up in the hospital.

"Just tired." Caleb answered, looking between the two men, "So do you really think Johnny will be able to come home tomorrow?" John had arrived in Louisville two days ago and only today had Caleb and John been able to convince Dean he needed come back to the farm and rest.

Mac nodded as he took a sip of coffee, "He's just going to have to understand that he has to take it easy, he'll be in that cast at least six weeks, plus he needs to build his strength back up from the pneumonia."

"Good luck with that Dad." Caleb snorted. The younger man knew once John was out of the hospital, he would be chomping at the bit to get back into some type of routine, even though hunting was out until his arm was healed. Glancing at Jim Caleb added, "You'll have to play the Guardian card on him to get him to listen, you know that right?"

Jim stared at the dark liquid in his cup, "I think this time Dean may be the secret weapon in our arsenal for keeping Jonathon in line." Jim looked up at Caleb, "I believe Jonathon finally has some understanding of what his condition did to his son, he finally saw the shadow of the fear and loss the boy felt during the worst of what happened, even though Dean has been trying so hard to put on a brave front. You know yourself that Dean refused to leave his father's side until Jonathon swore to the boy that he was feeling better and would hopefully be home sometime tomorrow."

"We came close to losing them both didn't we?" Caleb watched how his friend had remained quieter than normal once Dean and John arrived in Louisville. The teen would engage in conversations if prompted, but he would rarely start them. The Psychic knew it was Dean's way of dealing and was again only able to offer his silent support for his little brother, waiting patiently until Dean reached out to him.

"We nearly lost all three of you my boy." Jim replied as he reached out and squeezed the younger man's hand, before standing to refresh is coffee.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Mac asked, he had been giving his son time to come to terms with what happened, hoping the younger man would offer some insight as to what he remembered.

Caleb ran his fingers over the numerous notches and scratches that covered the large table that sat in Jim's kitchen. For a moment his mind thought of the stories the table could tell if it could talk, the secrets and heartbreak the table had been witness to over the years. Over the last several days the young man had tried to understand another curve his abilities had thrown him, the fact he was able to appear in a solid form to John, when his body was in a hospital was something his mind was still trying to come to terms with. He didn't know if it was a one-time deal, or if would become something new he would have to learn to live with. However, his memories were clear concerning the experiences he had shared with his family, though he knew it was a totally different plane of consciousness he had been traveling between, one bridging the real world with John and the dream world with Mac and Dean.

Laying his hands flat on the table, his silver ring standing out against the dark grain Caleb took a deep breath. "I honestly don't know how to start." Looking up he only saw concern reflected back from the two men that had saved him all those years ago, that took him in and loved him as if he had always been a part of their family.

"What is the first thing you remember?" Jim's calming voice asked.

Folding his hands in front of him, Caleb started to twist the band that connected him to so many others. "I remember passing the sign coming into New Haven, then without warning a pain shooting through my head. Then the vision of John falling." Roughly rubbing his eye's Caleb tried to ride his mind of the image of his mentor tumbling helplessly down the embankment, "I just remember feeling useless as I saw him come to a stop, not moving…Next thing was waking up in the Jeep. Once everything started to click I knew I needed to make it here, so somebody could help John."

"I had just come back in from letting Dean know dinner was almost ready when he called for me to come back out. I had no idea what was going on when I stepped out on the porch and he kept staring toward the drive, as soon as you cleared the tree line and looked up, he knew it was you. I'm sorry to say it took me a second to even understand what Dean had yelled." Jim stood, taking his cup to the sink, turning to lean against the counter.

"I remember seeing Deuce, hearing him yell my name. I felt his fear when I collapsed, God I can't believe I put him through that." Caleb choked, he had never wanted to see his friend hurt or scared, especially if he was the cause. "I don't even remember telling you guys about the vision; everything went blank once I felt Deuce grab me." Caleb stood, needing to move as his own emotions were trying to take over the control he'd had on them. "Next thing I know I'm looking at Johnny laying in that ravine. Once I got him to Bobby's and felt Deuce there, I figured everything was okay, I don't remember anything else until I visited you Dad." Caleb had stopped his pacing, turning his attention to his father who had remained unusually quiet through out the conversation, normally Mac would be firing questions, trying to figure out the situation. "Dad?"

Mac had sat and listened to the exchange between Jim and Caleb, when he asked his son if he wanted to talk about what happened, the Scholar wasn't prepared for the emotions that surged through his being as the younger man recounted what he remembered. Seeing his Son unconscious had scared him like nothing in his life, but he recalled with clarity the visit Caleb made to him as he slept next to his Son's hospital bed. When Caleb had told him he was okay and everything would be over soon, Mac had felt a sense of hope, but what happened just a few short hours later had been affecting the older man's ability to allow his son out of his sight. "Dad?" Mac's tear-filled eye's met his Son's as Caleb knelt next to his father, touching his shoulder.

Clearing his throat, Mac rubbing his hand over his face, "I'm sorry…"

Caleb had not expected to see his father's gray eye's filled with tears, "Dad, what?"

Mac glanced up at Jim, the older man nodding as he quietly slipped from the room, the Guardian knew what Caleb's condition during his time in the hospital had done to Mac, Jim knew what fears his friend had been warring with, he knew that the father and son needed time to begin healing again.

Once Jim left the room, Mac moved his chair back some, turning so he was facing his Son. He reached his hand out and touched the side of the younger man's face. "I felt you with me in that dream, knew without doubt it was you. Your visit gave me hope that even though you hadn't woke up yet that everything was going to be okay. Then…" Mac choked.

Caleb's hand covered his father's, "I'm sorry Dad, if I could have controlled that I would have, I never wanted you to see something like that happen to me." Tear's were now pooling in Caleb's eyes at the heartbreaking pain his father was reliving as the older man remembered seeing the heart monitor attached to Caleb flat-line.

"It wasn't your fault, God don't ever think you caused that, we still don't know what caused it, we can only assume it was tied into what was happening with John, but…" Again the Scholar's voice cracked, a tear slipping free, "When your heart stopped…my world stopped."

Caleb knew his father loved him, though it had taken Caleb, himself, months to let the man before him into his own heart for fear of the rejection he had so often felt from the adult's that had passed through his young life. But once Mac adopted him, he never doubted Mac's feelings toward him, but this feeling was on a whole different level, it humbled Caleb to think someone loved him so much that they would feel their world crashing down around them if something happened to him. The young psychic knew if anything happened to his father, he didn't know if he would survive it, but to think Mac felt the same way.

Mac stared into the golden gaze that those seconds had threatened to take away forever, "I need you to understand, you are my life Caleb. I don't know what I would do if I ever lost you. That's why I worry so much, why I pushed you to have a balanced life between the real world and hunting, I can't bare the thought of John or Jim calling me to tell me something's happened to you, knowing I'm the one that brought you into all this."

Caleb reached behind him, pulling out one of the chairs next to his father, taking a seat, but never releasing his hold on the older man's hand. "You didn't bring me into this, I was apart of it long before we met, you brought me into a family that has cared for me, protected me. You've taught me that I wasn't the crazy freak I thought I was back then. You've taught me how to try and use my abilities to help those around me, and some how that is what they did this time. They allowed me to help Johnny and Dean, because if something happened to his dad, you know as well as I do we would have lost Deuce too." Caleb took a deep-breath, never breaking eye contact with his father, "I am sorry you had to see that, but I want you to know that I know how much you care about me, how much you love me and I am thankful everyday that I have you. I never want to do anything to hurt you, I love you Dad."

Mac's eyes were overflowing; he didn't even attempt to stop them as he pulled his Son to him. The pain and fear of nearly losing his Son would be with him forever, as would the constant worry for his safety that he had been carrying around since that first day he walked into that hospital room, ten years ago. But his son was here now, he was alive and safe, that's all Mac ever wanted, "I love you too, Son. I love you too."


	20. Chapter 20

The Way Home  
Chapter 20  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

The talk with his father the night before had left Caleb both emotionally exhausted and humbled by the love he felt for the man and from him. It wasn't until Caleb was nearly a teenager that he found a family that he could wholly open his own heart to. Not since the faded memories of the love he felt from his own parents did he experience that unconditional love from another person. That love also was given to him by the unusual group of people that made up his family, that included Jim, Bobby, John, Sammy, and beside his father, the most important person to him, his best friend, his little brother, Dean.

As he had made his way up the stairs of the farmhouse to his room, Caleb again paused and watched his friend sleep. The young Psychic's link to the boy had always been strong, from the moment the child stepped from the Impala all those years ago Caleb could feel everything the boy felt, every pain, every hurt, every fear, and Caleb knew Dean's biggest fear was the same as his own, losing his family. Since the boy had returned to Kentucky with his father, just days ago, the twenty-two year old could feel everything his friend had been fighting so hard to hide. Before passing into his own room, Caleb neared Dean's bed, pulling the teens covers back up over him that had slipped off the side of the bed, he then reached to brush a little bit of hair from the boys forehead, Dean had let it get just a little longer than he normally wore it, giving him more of the boyish appearance that reflected his age. As the teen turned toward the touch, Caleb had gleamed the remaining fear and worry that had settled over the boy's soul. "I'm here when you need me Deuce." Caleb whispered before retreating to his own room.

The light that filtered through the closed blinds told Caleb it was closer to afternoon than morning, glancing at the clock confirmed that, 12:26 pm. Rolling onto his back the younger man closed his eyes again; he couldn't believe he had sleep that long, but for the first time in days he didn't feel completely exhausted. Listening to the sounds of the house Caleb was surprised to only hear the muffled movement coming from the kitchen, reaching out the Psychic picked up on the presence of Jim, who he was sure was probably working on lunch. Reaching a little further Caleb could feel that Sammy and Dean were still on the farm, but his father wasn't. He could only assume Mac had gone into Louisville to bring John home.

Pushing himself up, Caleb made it to the side of the bed, rubbing his eye's he stretched and decided he couldn't sleep the day away, slowly he made his way to the bathroom he shared with the boys and took a shower. Twenty minutes later had the young man making his way into Jim's kitchen. "It's good to see you finally up. Did you sleep well?" The Pastor commented as he finished the sandwiches he had made for lunch, while also working on a few items for dinner.

Making his way to the coffee maker that always seemed to have the dark brew ready to be consumed; Caleb poured a cup and sat down. "I didn't hear anything once I fell asleep, I guess I really did need it, I don't feel as tired as I've been."

Sammy came in the room carrying one of the journal's from the tomb, a confused look on his face, but a smile soon replaced it once he realize Caleb was at the table, "Caleb, you feeling better?"

"Yeah, Runt, I'm doing better. What are you into now? There's no way Johnny's got you researching anything." Sammy set the book on the end of the table as he walked over the refrigerator, getting out the pitcher of ice tea that always resided there, grabbing a glass from the strainer; he made his way back to the table.

"Nothing special, just wanted something to read, these old journals are amazing." Caleb chuckled at the awe that could be heard in the eleven-year olds voice.

"Which journals are you up to my boy?" Jim placed a plate of sandwiches between the two boys, before retrieving his own glass for the tea.

"This one is mid-1800's, it's fascinating to see how hunters were able to research without things like library's in each town, or phones to contact other hunter for info. How did they do it?" Sammy asked as he grabbed a sandwich taking a bite.

"Where there is the desire to rid the world of evil, there is a way to find the information you need. Hunter's of that time spent a great deal of time listening and learning from the Native American's; their folklore was a wealth of information that was useful. We are very lucky that previous hunters felt the need to record what they learned for future generation." Jim took a bite of the sandwich he had placed on his plate, glancing toward Caleb, who had remained quiet. "Are you all right Caleb?"

Caleb's mind had drifted, seeming to automatically connect with Dean, even though the boy wasn't present in the room with him. He could again feel the war of emotions the kid was battling, "I'm good, where's Deuce?"

Giving the young man an understanding look Jim nodded toward the door, "He's at the pond, been out there since breakfast. Perhaps you should take him some lunch." Jim knew the connection between the two boys was strong, but he had also watched how Dean had withdrawn since the whole terrible ordeal had began. The Pastor was worried that it seemed to be taking the teen a little longer than expected to pull himself from his closed off world.

Caleb stood, grabbing another plate from the cabinet, placing a few sandwiches on it, then grabbing a couple of soda's from the frig, he headed out the door. Walking across the yard Caleb could make out his best friends form sitting near the edge of the pond, the younger boy never turning as the Psychic approached. Just as Caleb had done when Dean was younger, he silently sat beside his friend, placing the plate in the grass between them. The older man knew it would take the teen reaching out to him for the true healing to start, when it came to Dean, Caleb would wait until the end of time if it meant helping to bring him back to his family.

Caleb had lost track on how long they had been sitting there, the quiet noises from the nearby woods and the gentle lapping of the pond the only sounds. "It was worse then when mom died." Dean's quiet voice whispered. The Psychic turned his head slightly, looking at his friend's profile; he could easily make out the tear tracks down the boy's cheeks. "I was just a kid, I didn't really understand what I was losing, I only knew it hurt more than anything. But this time…" The teen blew out a deep-breath, looking at his hands that Caleb noticed were slightly shaking, "this time I knew exactly what I was losing and it scared the hell out of me."

"It would scare the hell out of anybody" Caleb replied, his eye's watching his best friend closely as the teen turned his head toward him.

"I wasn't just Dad I thought I was losing…" Dean's breath hiccupped, "It was you too."

There it was again, the realization that his existence in someone else's life made that much of a difference. "I'm not going anywhere Deuce."

Silence settled again for a time before Dean spoke again, "When you collapsed all I felt was useless. I didn't know what was wrong; I didn't know how to fix it…all I could think was that I was failing you somehow. You've always been able to help me, and the one time you needed me I couldn't do anything." Renewed tears started their trek down Dean's face again. The pain Caleb could feel from his friend broke the older man's heart. Dean looked back toward the pond as he continued, "Then Dad…" Rubbing his hands over his face, Dean fought desperately with his emotions as his mind replayed everything that happened in South Dakota. "He looked so…so vulnerable, Dad never looks vulnerable, then his when his heart stopped…" Another quiet sob escaped the teen, "All I could think was I was losing my family, everyone I loved was leaving me. First Mom, then you and Dad…I was losing everyone I cared about. I didn't know how I was going to take care of Sammy; it was killing me, the thought of having to tell him if Dad had died. I felt myself dying along with him."

Caleb felt his own tears slip free, it tore at his soul to think a fifteen-year old kid would or could understand loss so completely that he felt his existence would cease if he lost those he cared about the most. Clearing his throat Caleb spoke, "I would have done anything to have protected you from that, I wish to God I could have been there for you."

"It's not your job to protect me" Dean answered quietly, looking at Caleb.

"It not yours to protect me either Deuce, you can't stop everything that could happen, but you can be there for those you care about when they need you and you were. You were there for me, when I heard you call my name, I felt safe, scared to death, but safe, I knew you would take care of me. When I felt your presence at Bobby's I knew Johnny would be safe because you were there, you would take care of him. I heard Jim tell Dad that you never left Johnny's side. When I heard what you witnessed it about killed me, you shouldn't ever have had to see something like that, but your Dad is okay now, I'm okay…it's time for you to be okay too." Caleb finally reached a hand over, placing it on Dean's shoulder. "And just so you know, it is my job to protect you, that's what big brother's do, we protect our little brothers."

Feeling a little of the weight he had been carrying around lift from his soul, Dean leaned over toward Caleb as the twenty-two year old wrapped his arms around his little brother's shoulders. "Yeah it is what we do." Dean mumbled as he thought of how he had always tried to protect Sammy, finally realizing the Caleb always seemed to do the same thing for him.

Caleb laid his head on the top of Dean's, feeling some the worry and fear the boy had been carrying finally begin to fade. The older man knew it would never go away all together; it was the curse of having people you cared about in your life, that you loved, that wouldn't let the feelings disappear completely. They each lived with the constant fear that those they loved could be stolen away from them, they knew more than most, just how fragile life was, how in an instant evil could rear its ugly head and steal it away. It gave them a better appreciation for the love they felt from other and for others, though sometimes it took near-tragedies to remind them of just how important family was.

A little while later the sound of a vehicle pulling up to the farmhouse drew the boy's attention, "Looks like Mac's back with Johnny."

Caleb turned as Dean made his way to stand, "I need to see if Dad needs any help getting settled." A mischievous smile crossed Caleb's face as Dean glanced down and him, offering a hand. "What?" the teen asked.

Reaching down to grab the untouched plate of food, the two started toward the house, "You think once those pain meds kick in, we could get close to Johnny's cast? That white canvas has been calling to me."

Dean shook his head, "Dude, what's this 'we' shit? Ain't no way I'm willing to poke the dragon and temp Dad's wrath for something your warped mind comes up with."

"Thought you were suppose to cover my ass?" Caleb smiled at his brother.

Shaking his head before picking up his pace to help Mac with John, Dean added, "Man, I'll cover you when we go up against just about anything, but going up against Dad if you so much as write your name on his cast, even I'm not that brave."

Caleb laughed out loud, "Bitch!" He called after the teen.

"Jerk" Dean called back as he opened the car door for his Dad, surprised when the older man willingly accepted his help.


	21. Chapter 21

The Way Home  
Chapter 21  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

"God Damn it, Junior! I'm so gonna kick your ass when I get this damn thing off!" John Winchester was pissed and the fact the person he was so pissed at was currently standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room laughing so hard he had tears streaming down his face, wasn't helping.

Dean was doing his best to keep a straight face as he walked into the room, passing his friend, "I told you about poking the dragon." the teen whispered before taking the chair across from the couch where his father was resting. Caleb had managed to do some very elaborate drawings on John's cast while the older man slept, the pain meds dulling the normally, light sleepers reaction. The scantily clad woman the younger man had drawn on the cast along with completely inappropriate dialogue would have made a sailor turn red from embarrassment, but it only made John see red.

Mac chuckled slightly until the injured hunter shot a heated glance his way, clearing his throat Mac spoke up, "John, I told you I would get the material and cover Caleb's 'artwork'." The Scholar had walked in one his son as the younger man had cautiously been creating the crude masterpiece. Mac knew he should have stopped the project then and there, but with all they had all been through, a small part of the older Psychic's mind was just as eager to see John's reaction as his son was.

Caleb tried to draw in a breath between the barely controlled laughs, stepping closer to his father, but keeping a safe distance from the Knight, the younger man added, "You've got to admit, I didn't do half bad, considering all I could find around here was a box of markers that Sammy use to color with. I was lucky the damn things still worked." John sent his protégé another glare that only caused the younger man to start laughing again.

"Luck isn't what you're gonna be calling it when I have you ass out in the woods for a week straight on maneuvers." The heat in John's words faded as he watched his family, Caleb holding nothing back, Mac and Dean barely able to control their own laughing. Finally John's face broke into a smile, followed by a quiet laugh.

Jim walked into the room, followed by Sammy. "I'm glad to see there hasn't been any bloodshed brought on by our resident artist's latest creations." The Pastor placed his hand on Caleb's shoulder as the young man wiped the tears still falling.

"You knew about this?" John looked pointedly toward the Guardian, noticing the mischievous glint in the older man's eyes.

"There isn't much that goes on in this house that I don't know about Jonathon, you should know that by now." Jim answered as he took a seat at the other end of the couch, Sammy went to sit on the arm of the chair his brother was in. "Now, if I'm not mistaking, before all the excitement of the last week…" Jim wanted the past week to be put behind his family, they had all survived the terrible ordeal and it was time to face what was ahead of them, "I believe Caleb was the one that suggested we all gather here for a visit." Looking at the twenty-two year old the Preacher continued, "Was there a specific reason behind your request?"

Caleb straightened himself, taking a few deep-breaths to regain some semblance of calm, he had almost forgotten why he suggested the impromptu gathering, but having talked with business associate, Oliver Havers, aka Moose, his college roommate, the night before, Caleb knew he was going to have to be back in New York soon, if he hoped to maintain a positive image for his budding business. "Yeah…"

The young man looked nervously around the room of people gathered, his family. Looking toward Mac first Caleb started, "Dad, I know you've been asking me what I was going to be doing now that I've graduated; well about a year ago I started making some inquiries, talking with some lawyers about what it would take to start my own architectural business. I got the basics started back then and since graduation I have been meeting with potential investors and perspective clients." Caleb glanced toward Dean, a couple times when the younger boy had called him, he had been in high-level meetings with people who had the abilities to make or break the young Psychic's dreams. "Deuce, I'm sorry about some of the calls I had to cut short, I was in more meetings the past two months than I ever thought possible, but understand if you had needed me I would have walked out, that's why I always asked if you guys were okay. And I don't want you thinking any of this changes anything, if you ever need me I'll be there, you understand?"

Dean nodded solemnly as he stared at his hands folded in his lap. The teen's body language wasn't lost on the psychic as Mac spoke, still a little unsure what his son was trying to say, "The meetings, are you saying you've started your own business?" Mac had no idea his son was interesting in starting a company; he was both a little hurt and greatly impressed by his son's actions. Hurt that the young man hadn't come to him about his interest, but impressed that his son wanted to start the endeavor completely on his own.

Caleb picked up on some of Mac's concerns, "This was something I needed to do on my own, I know you and even Cullen would have jumped at the chance to help me, but I needed to see if I could do this without the Ames name coming into play. I needed to see if I could make this work, I hope you understand."

Mac nodded, he was proud of his son, as Caleb said, the Ames name in business could have made things easier for Caleb, but the young man wanted this to be his and his alone. "So I take it things are going as you hoped?"

Caleb looked at his feet as he nodded his head, before looking back up toward his family, "Tri-Corp officially got their first client about two weeks ago, I have a meeting next week to start the design process and hopefully in a few months our first project will be under construction."

Mac stood, pulling his son into a tight hug, "Wow, I'm proud of you son, your own business."

Jim advanced also, pulling the young man into a hug, "Congratulations Son, this is indeed a pleasant surprise. It seems we have several things to be thankful for today, I suppose I should start on a celebratory dinner then, Sammy would you care to help?" Jim looked at the youngest Winchester as he glanced toward John and Dean; both had been quiet throughout Caleb's revelation.

Looking between his brother and father, Sammy felt an uncertainty in the air, "Yeah, sure Pastor Jim."

As they left the room, Mac glanced toward his friend as well, noting that neither Dean, nor John were looking their way, "I'll see if Jim needs any more help," Giving his son's shoulder a gentle squeeze he whispered, "It's okay," before heading toward the kitchen.

Caleb had hoped his business would be good news for his family, but he also knew that John was one of those hunters that didn't see the sense in playing pretend in the real world when there was so much work to be done in the supernatural realm. Moving toward the coffee table the twenty-two year old sat on the edge, placing him between his best friend and his mentor. "I'm still going to be hunting, this is just something on the side, plus think of how this might help when we need a cover somewhere, who's gonna look suspiciously at an architect scouting an area?"

"Yeah, you've been ignoring me for months just because you were trying to set up an elaborate cover." The fear in Dean's face told Caleb all he needed to know.

"Deuce, I told you, I'm not going anywhere. It won't be any different then when I was at school, I'll still hunt and anytime and I mean anytime you ever need me you know I'll be there, but this is something I need to do. I can't explain it; I just know I have to do this." Caleb had wanted his whole family to be happy for him, but he could understand the feelings from his friend, his brother. Again it was the fear and worry of losing a part of his family.

"Wow, Junior I don't know what to say." John finally broke his silence, drawing the young man's attention to him.

"Look Johnny, I'm still in this, I'm not turning my back on you guys and I know you don't always see the need for anything away from the hunt, but I do. Maybe it's because my dad built stuff, like with me painting because it ties me to my mom, I don't know. But I've got to see where this leads me too. And like I told Deuce, I'm just a phone call away; it's one of the perks of being the boss…" Caleb tried one of his trademark smirks, "I can take off whenever I want." Caleb reached out and touched his mentor's arm, while at the same time reaching and taking a hold of Dean's hand. "I need this, it would mean the world to me if you two…especially you two understood that and accepted it."

John looked into the worried gaze of his protégé, he could understand needing that connection to loved ones stolen by evil, John's connection to Mary was the boys and he would do anything to protect that. "I know you do Junior." John moved his legs to the floor; he needed to move around, "I just have one question…"

The Knight's expression was unreadable as Caleb waited to see what his mentor's question would be. "Okay?"

"Do you need anymore investors? I've got a little put away and was just waiting for the right venture to throw my money away at, I just heard about this new architect starting his own business and figured I could take a risk on it, I hear he comes from a good background, a stubborn, smart-ass who needs better things to do than draw all over injured peoples casts." John laughed as he stood, squeezing the young man's shoulder.

Caleb smiled up at his mentor, "I think I know a guy, I'm good friends with the owner of the company, I'll have his people call you." The younger man laughed when John clipped him on the back of the head.

"You do that. But I still expect your ass back here for a week once I get this damn thing off, you got it? I'd hate to have to come into some fancy office building and haul your ass out." John walked toward the kitchen, glancing back at the young psychic.

"I'll be here, but I'll have you know my business associate played defense for the Auburn football team." Caleb responded.

"I'm sure Dean could probably take him." John laughed again as he left the room.

Caleb looked toward his best friend, "Deuce, you okay?"

"You sure nothing will change?" Dean watched his friend, the younger boy had worried when Caleb first went off to college, he thought he was losing his friend then, but the man had remained a close part of his life.

"Deuce, I swear, nothing will change. When you guys need me I'll be there. We'll meet here for all the holidays and breaks just like we did before. If something comes up, I'll call you; try to get you guys to come visit me. Besides, I'm gonna need some help setting up the place Cullen bought me for graduation, it's not to far from Mac's place." Caleb patted Dean's knee, "Hey, maybe I'll even have a 'bring you smart-ass kid brother to work' day. You can come by and check out all the hot secretaries I plan on hiring." Caleb watched the teen smirk.

"Dude, you won't get any work out of them if I'm around, with my charm and boyish good looks, they'll think you're just the old man who runs the company." Dean jumped up as Caleb lunged at him, grabbing him in a head-lock as they made their way toward the kitchen.

"I'll show you old man." Caleb held tight until Dean wrapped his arms around the older man's chest, a sharp breath, caused both of them to let go as Caleb grabbed his side, they both had forgotten about the cracked ribs he's sustained wrecking his jeep.

"Shit…God Damien, I'm sorry…you okay?" Dean grabbing his friends arm as Caleb doubled over, taking shallow breaths.

"I'm okay Deuce, just give me a minute, forgot about my ribs." Using the mantle Caleb slowly straightened himself up as he was finally able to draw in a couple deep-breaths. "Seriously, I'm fine, just turned the wrong way."

Caleb could feel the fear coming from his friend again, "I promise I good, I told you I wasn't going anywhere and I'm not, you can't get rid of me that easy."

"The thought of losing you is never easy. Just promise me you'll watch out for yourself." Dean spoke softly, his hand still resting on Caleb's back.

"Ditto goes for you too Deuce." Caleb responded as he let go of the mantle, his hand coming up to squeeze the back of Dean's neck.

"Besides I kind of need my big brother around." Dean smiled at his 'big brother' as Caleb released him.

"Just like I need my little brother." Caleb watched Dean nod slightly as they heard Jim call them to come eat.

Staying behind Caleb as they walked toward the kitchen, Dean stopped as he stepped through the doorway. Looking toward the worn kitchen table that was so much a part of the fifteen-year olds life the teen saw all the people that meant the most to him; at the head of the table, Pastor Jim Murphy, the man who was like an Uncle and Grandfather all rolled together, he was one of the people that accepted Dean completely for who he was, seeing the boy that still needed to be reassured, but who was also looking for the recognition that came with becoming a man. Next to him was Dr. Mackland Ames, a favorite Uncle, a man who would do anything for those he cared about, he was always finding ways to try and teach Dean new things, especially when it came to medicine and first aide. Dean had a desire to help those that were hurt, had a natural ability when it came to taking care of those around him and Mac reinforced that.

Across from Mac was his father, John Winchester, Dean knew a part of his father died that night in the nursery with his mother, but from that tragedy came a man with a passion to keep other families from suffering the fate that had befallen the Winchester, a man with a driven need to find the thing that had stolen his wife and his children's mother, while at the same time protecting and training his children to defend themselves in the new, terrifying world they had found themselves in.

Next to his father sat Sammy, his little brother. Dean had tried so hard over the years to shield his brother from what they did, from the pain of knowing that those monsters that little kids always feared lurked in the dark were real. Sammy was his responsibility; he would protect his brother from anything and everything, even to the point of coming between Sammy and their father. The teen knew that the years ahead would be hard, Sammy was starting to see things differently, had started questioning the 'why's' of what they do and their father wasn't one to cater to constant questions, especially if he had given an order, and that was the very thing his brother was starting to rebel against, Dean only hoped he was strong enough to keep his family from tearing itself apart.

Finally, as he made his way across the room Dean took his seat across from the one person he could be completely and totally honest with, the one person he cared about as much as he did his own blood brother, Caleb Reaves. Caleb had been there for him when he was a scared, hiding five-year old, who felt safer inside his own world than in the outside world. The Psychic had reached out and threw the hurting child a life-line; it was a life-line that in his darkest hours Dean still so desperately clung to. The fear of losing Caleb ranked up there with the fear of losing his little brother or his father. It was a fear that told Dean if that connection was ever lost he would be set adrift in a world that would consume him. But looking at his big brother, Dean took to heart the promise Caleb made about always being there and if he never believed another thing in his life, he believed Caleb would always be there for him, and he would be there for Caleb, no matter what.

So as the dishes were being passed around the table, and the conversation turned toward the new business Caleb had started, Dean couldn't help but smile as he glanced toward the head of the table, his gaze caught the calming blue eyes of Pastor Jim, who smiled warmly. This is what Dean had wanted, had pleaded for in the darkest days of the past week, when it was unknown if his father would survive, if Caleb would ever wake up, all Dean had wanted was for his family to be home, safe, gathered around the table for supper and as the teen smiled back at the Preacher, his prayer had been answered, his family had found their way home.

_A/N: I forgot something, there's one more chapter to go, sorry-Montez_


	22. Chapter 22

The Way Home  
Chapter 22  
Disclaimer: See chapter 1

_A/N: I am hanging my head in shame, It took a reviewer (thanks sammygirl1963) to remind me I left out a very important scene. (I'll stand in timeout if you guys want me to) I almost forgot to put in a John/Dean scene. Yes, an allusive emotional scene between our hard-ass Papa Winchester and our favorite 'who needs a hug?' Winchester son, Dean. I hope this is an appropriate ending. Again a HUGE THANKS to all of you who stuck it out with me, you guys kept me going, you're amazing-Montez_

Epilogue

"Is there anything you need before I turn in?" Dean stood beside the bed he had just helped his father ease into. The moving around the older man had done earlier in the day was catching up with him and the pain medication he had just taken hadn't kicked in yet. To be honest Dean had been surprised his father was allowing anyone to help him during his recovery, so when his father took a hold of his hand, the teen didn't know what to expect.

"I'm good Ace, have a seat a minute." John couldn't miss the surprised, somewhat worried look that crossed his son's face as the boy sat on the edge of the bed.

"Is something wrong?" Dean looked at his father's larger hand holding his. Painful memories of those desperate hours, when they didn't know if John was going to live or die, came flooding back causing the teen's breath to hitch.

"I'm fine, but what about you?" John asked as Dean's green eyes met his.

"Me? I'm fine…you're the one who almost…" Looking away as a hitched breath again escaped, the boy trying to hold on to what little composure he had.

"Dean look at me." John said quietly, his heart clinching as tear-filled eye's turned toward him. "I'm sorry, I should have paid better attention to how I was feeling, then this probably wouldn't have happened."

"But you've had colds before." Dean could remember a couple of times when his father had continued a hunt even when he wasn't feeling well.

"Yeah, but I knew this was something different, it just felt different, but I ignored it, putting the hunt first." John hated to admit to any form of weakness, but this time his body had overrode his stubborn streak and knocked him on his ass. "Jim told me what you did."

A hit of panic crossed Dean's face, this was it, his father was going to get on him for not doing a better job of taking care of his family, for leaving Sammy. "Dad…I…"

"I'm proud of you." John saw the confusion cross his son's face, the older man felt bad knowing the kid was probably expecting to be busted on something. Squeezing Dean's hand again, John continued. "He told me how you were the one that figured out it was Caleb coming down the driveway, it was you that got to him first. Then how when he couldn't get a hold of me at Bobby's, Jim told me how you were insistent on going to South Dakota with him, even though we both know how you feel about flying." John smiled slightly as Dean ducked his head, his fear of flying was well-know within his family. "But you did it to help me, that means a lot to me Ace."

"You taught me everything about tracking, I just knew I needed to help you, when I heard Damien mumble something about a vision and you, I had to do something." Dean answered, John couldn't help but think his son was like him in that regard, whether by nature or by training, his eldest was never one to sit around if a job needed to be done.

John looked at his closed hand around his son's, scattered memories of his trek through the woods filtered through his mind. He still didn't understand how Caleb had been there with him, but on some level he had been. "I still don't know what happened, but I know Caleb helped through those woods, even when I wanted to quit…" John noted the look of surprise on his son's face at the admission that John could have possibly considered giving up, "But you know what kept me going?"

"What?" Dean's quiet voice asked.

"You and your brother. I just kept thinking I needed to get back to you boys; I couldn't leave you like that. When Caleb got me to Bobby's and I heard him whisper that you were there, I knew I was going to be okay. You've always taken care of this family and I knew you would take care of me, when I saw you running toward me, I knew I was safe." John squeezed his son's hand again; tears had filled his own eyes as he spoke those words to his son.

Emotions were never something openly expressed in the Winchester family and to see the emotions that his father was allowing to show, reminded Dean of his father before his mother's death. The teen could remember times when his father laughed more, when just looking at his dad could tell Dean just how much his father loved his mother and him. After the fire John's emotions became hardened, his face almost unreadable, but now Dean could see just how scared his father was. "I was so scared when I saw you collapse; I didn't know what to do." Dean took a chance and opened himself up, admitting his fears to his father, "I thought…I thought you were going to die. I don't know what I would have done." A tear finally slipped past Dean's defenses as sorrow crossed John's face at the raw emotions his son was showing.

Clearing his throat, a tear also slipped from John's eyes as he placed his hand on the side of Dean's face. "Let's hope we don't have to find out for a really long time, but like I said before, I'm proud of you, don't ever forget that. I know I don't tell you enough and maybe this was a wakeup call reminding me I need to let you boys know how important you are to me, I love you Ace, don't ever doubt that."

Dean placed his hand over his father's, "I love you too Dad." Dean smiled at his father, squeezing the older man's hand.

John smiled back, "Well I think you should turn in Ace, you need to rest now, everyone is home, safe. You can let other's take watch a while." The older man was amazed at the weight that seemed to visibly lift from his son's shoulder. In true Dean fashion he had been waiting to be relieved of his duty, if only for a little while, because if John only knew one thing about his eldest it was that the boy had his priorities right, he knew his family came first.

"Yes, Sir." Dean stood, making his way to the door, "Night Dad."

"Goodnight Ace."


End file.
